


Reel to Real

by Calligraphee



Category: Hyunji - Fandom, 사이코지만 괜찮아 | It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, Timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:41:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 37,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26946877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calligraphee/pseuds/Calligraphee
Summary: After 6 years, Kim Soo Hyun and Seo Yea Ji meet again through Gold Medalist and the drama It’s Okay To Not Be Okay. As their on-screen love story unfolds, little by little, they find themselves doing the same off-screen.Stories on what happens in between takes, and beyond.
Relationships: Go Moon Young/Moon Gang Tae, Kim Soo Hyun/Seo Yea Ji
Comments: 112
Kudos: 706
Collections: HyunJi





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> It's my first time to write a fic! These two have been living in my mind rent free ever since the drama started, and even more when the drama ended. I'm so intrigued by their timeline, but I guess all we can do for now is imagine. So here I am. I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> 12/25/2020 Note: While I started this fanfic thinking(/hoping) of the possibility that they were real, the last thing I want is to put them at risk through my story. Just a reminder to ship responsibly and to take this story purely as what it is -- a work of fiction :)

Soo Hyun planned it all in his head. After his military service, he would leave Keyeast Ent., help his cousin form his own agency, finally return to the small screen, and explore new projects. The agency was a big deal for him -- it combined his cousin’s goal of having a production company, and his goal of helping rookie actors shine. It had been a dream of his—creating a training ground for young artists to tap their potential in bringing important characters to life, and effectively portray stories that needed to be told. Also, with his interest of going into directing someday, having this agency was truly an exciting new chapter for him.

And he did all of those. Everything was neatly planned. Until...

"Hey, I just saw this. I heard Director Park also sent her the script for IOTNBO. I've been watching clips of her past projects. She's really good. And I'd like to give her an offer to be part of GM. She's not a rookie artist, but--"

"I know her. I worked with her once. A long time ago. " Soo Hyun smiles.

His cousin, Lee Ro Bae, was showing an article of Seo Yea Ji being a free agent. Soo Hyun had worked with her in a CF before. It was only one day, but he remembers being intrigued by her. For some reason, she stood out in his eyes.

"She's the real package, huh? Looks are _wow_. Her acting is great, and she likes exploring different genres, even those that don't get much recognition. It's admirable. Not everyone has this kind of outlook in acting. Kind of like… you.” His cousin explains.

Soo Hyun turns to him, listening attentively.

“I know the plan was to start only with rookie artists, but we could also use a female artist around your age? To represent what we can do as an agency? I have a feeling that we could help her, and she could help us. I think there's a high chance that she'll be chosen as the female lead for IOTNBO. If she says yes to the drama, and to GM, it would be good that our first co-produced drama stars GM’s 2 artists." Lee Ro Bae continues.

_Seo Yea Ji_. It’s been a while since he’s heard her name. He tries to remember random details of her: Pudding. Long hair. Eye smile. Deep voice. Cute laugh. He suddenly finds himself smiling.

“I’ll take that smile as a yes?” His cousin smirks.

Soo Hyun lets out an awkward chuckle, going back to reality. "I don’t have a problem with that, Hyung. You’re the CEO. I trust you."

  
-

Before GM had officially opened, Soo Hyun and Yea Ji were scheduled to meet early in December, since they were co-stars, and future labelmates. Yea Ji had to discuss her contract, but GM also wanted her to meet with Soo Hyun, to discuss important things about the drama.

Soo Hyun was the first to arrive at the office. He entered the conference room, and just started looking around. Suddenly, he heard a knock from the door as it opened. It was Yea Ji. Dressed in a white tuxedo dress and leather boots, hair wrapped in a bun. She greets Soo Hyun.

“Sunbaenim, annyeonghaseyo. I don’t know if you remember me but--”

“Of course I remember. Yea Ji-ssi, it’s been a while.”

Oddly, he felt shy around her. He knew she was beautiful, but he was stunned seeing her again after a long time.

“You haven’t aged a bit.” He says amusingly.

“You look like you age backwards.” She replies. They both laugh.

They suddenly hear people entering the room. The management team has arrived.

“Ah. I see you two have already met. Yea Ji, welcome to GM.” Lee Ro Bae says.

They all shake hands, sit down, and start to discuss GM’s plans, Yea Ji’s contract, and IOTNBO.

-

“I think it’s an important character. I hope I can give justice to it.” Yea Ji says.

As the meeting adjourned, Yea Ji approached the seniors to shake their hands before leaving, saving Soo Hyun for last.

“I look forward to working with you, sunbaenim.” She says, smiling.

“Yea ji-ssi. We’re going to see each other for a long time. Please, call me Soo Hyun.”

Yea Ji shows a hesitant smile, but nods. While shaking his hand, she inches closer, looking him in the eyes, and says in her attractively low voice, “I look forward to working with you, Soo Hyun-ah.”

And the rest was history.


	2. Unplanned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been 4 months since the filming of IOTNBO started. Everything was going as planned, except for one thing: Soo Hyun was attracted to his co-star.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you  
>  Yes there's a chance that I've fallen quite hard over you  
> I've seen the paths that your eyes wander down  
> I want to come too  
> I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you_

It's been 4 months since the filming of IOTNBO started. Everything was going as planned, except for one thing: Soo Hyun was attracted to his co-star.

It started with the little things.

Of course her beauty was one thing. He liked seeing her in the agency and how her energy brightened up the room. Then it became her laugh, smile, and voice. He couldn’t choose what he liked the most, but he loved how cracking a simple joke would let him see all of three at once. He found himself entertaining her every chance he got.

He was smitten. Charmed.

Much more when they started acting together.

It was the way she looked stunning in all of Ko Munyeong's outfits. 

The way his heart seemed to flutter more and more each day they filmed.

The way she could turn into a whole other person when she was acting, making her performance look so natural.

The way she paid attention to the tiniest details while filming, and how they were able to create such a complementary dynamic when discussing scenes.

The way she listened to him so attentively and understood his vision even before he could properly voice it out. 

The way that with her, scenes would turn out better than he had imagined.

The way she responded so supportively to everything – from his serious suggestions to his random banters. 

Basically, it was the way she made work seem like it was not work most of the time.

It was her beauty, talent, wit, humor, passion, work ethic, honesty, and overall energy. It was everything.

He liked her. And it showed.

It dawned on him that what he was feeling was not acting anymore. He was drawn to her -- every aspect of her. At first he thought it was something that he could just brush off, use it for work perhaps? But he always found himself wanting to do things for and with her -- make her laugh, guide her, impress her even. He liked acting, but he found that he liked acting with her especially. He realized later on that he liked basically anything that involved spending time with her because making her happy and at ease, made him happy and at ease. And this was something very new to him.

-

"I need to talk to you." Mr. Ryu, his manager, says to Soo Hyun.

It was a shooting day for It's Okay To Not be Okay. They just finished filming in the coffee shop, the one where Moon Young met her fan, Daniel Choi, and his handsome pen.

"What was that?" Mr. Ryu asked, folding his arms. They were alone outside the cafe, waiting for the staff to pack up.

"What was what?" Soo Hyun replied.

"That.” Mr. Ryu says, pointing to the small green bag Soo Hyun was carrying. “The walking around the room and taking burst shots while Yea Ji was filming with Daniel Choi? Carrying her bag when she clearly didn't need help with it? What’s happening here, Soo Hyun?" Mr. Ryu asked. He had been his manager for over 10 years, he knew something was up.

"I was just looking around, and being helpful towards my co-star. Is there something wrong with that?" Soo hyun replied slowly, blinking at Mr. Ryu.

"Don't think that I don't see the kind of attention you've been giving her, Soo Hyun. I knew you were attracted to her even before filming started. I thought that would be helpful for the drama. But do you like her now? More importantly, do you want to date her?"

He sees an internally panicking Soo Hyun in response. Eyes wide, heartbeat clearly going faster, speechless.

"Aish. So you do, huh?" Mr. Ryu says, scratching his head. "It's not like you to like a co-star. This is a first." Mr. Ryu says, sensing a lot more work coming his way.

It was Gold Medalist's first year as an agency, and his first year outside Keyeast Ent. This was something he had not expected.

"Soo Hyun-ah. You have to tell me these things. You know we have to make adjustments, especially with the kind of privacy Yea Ji requested for, and the plans we have for her with the offers she's been getting. And for you. You're being filmed literally everywhere." Mr. Ryu explains, giving a scolding, but with a sense of concern.

A few seconds pass and Soo Hyun turns to him and says, "I don't want her career to be affected in any negative way. But yes, I like her." Soo Hyun says slowly, feeling weird that he's saying it out loud for the first time. _I like Seo Yea Ji._

"Is it possible that I date her?" He asks, sincerely questioning the possibility.

"Even if I say no, I know that won't stop you." Mr. Ryu says, giving him a soft glare.

"But if you're asking if you have a chance with her, there's only one way to find out." Mr. Ryu continues. Soo Hyun nods in response.

"But shall I dare request, Mr. Kim, that you wait til after the filming ends to date her? I'm not doubting that she likes you, but like you said, we don't want to affect her career in anyway. We don't want to affect the drama in any way. I can trust you with that, right?" Mr. Ryu asks, looking him in the eye.

Soo Hyun turns to him and says, "If I do that, you'll back me up right?" flashing a grin.

Mr. Ryu crunches his nose and gives out a deep breath. "I lasted 10 years with you. I think I can last how many more?" He says. They both laugh.

Mr. Ryu gives him a pat on the shoulder. "I trust you to make the right decisions. I didn't transfer with you to GM if I didn't." He says, before leaving to check on Yea Ji.

Mr. Ryu stuck by Kim Soo Hyun ever since. He wasn't the perfect artist, but he was passionate in his craft, always calculated his next career steps, and was accountable when things didn't go as planned, which was enough to convince Mr. Ryu to join him. In other words, he was a man with a plan, and being in GM was part of that plan. Transferring also allowed him more freedom and control with his projects and privacy. However, his feelings for Yeaji-- that wasn't part of the plan, and Mr. Ryu knew that he hadn't made a move yet because he was still thinking about what to do in his head. Like choosing dramas, Kim Soo Hyun had a knack in putting things in his favor. But this one was quite hard. It was his first time falling for a co-star.

Soo Hyun watched from the outside as he could see Mr. Ryu approaching Yea Ji. He suddenly digests what Mr. Ryu said about his actions being weird earlier. He doesn't know if it was because it's been long since he's been in a relationship, but realizing Yea Ji’s effect on him made him smile.

Soo Hyun sees Yea Ji walk out of the coffee shop. Spotting Soo Hyun, Yea Ji waves and approaches him. Soo Hyun was smiling, liking the fact that Yea Ji was looking for him.

“Hey, what are you smiling about?”

His grin disappears. “Oh it's nothing, you wanted to tell me something?”

“Oh, Mr. Ryu said my bag is with you? The staff’s asking for it.” She said.

Realizing he was holding it behind his back, Soo Hyun quickly gave it back to her.

“Why is it with you though?” Yea Ji suddenly asks.

“Oh, uhmm… the staff asked me to bring it and then Mr. Ryu suddenly wanted to talk to me so I accidentally brought it outside.” He said, internally thankful that he was able to come up with an excuse.

Yea Ji nods suspiciously, knowing the staff would not ask him to do anything like that.

“Oh okay, well the director said it’s time to go to the next location.”

“Alright, thanks. I’ll just follow.” Soo Hyun replies before Yea Ji goes back inside.

The director and staff start coming out of the coffee shop, signaling that it was time to move. Soo Hyun then shakes his head, trying to snap out of his awkward state and back to reality.

"Okay Soo Hyun, time to bring out Kang Tae for now." He says to himself.

-

Throughout the week, seeing Yea Ji everyday made Soo Hyun more certain of his feelings and intentions, but he just did not know when and how to express it.

_Should I wait ‘til after the shooting ends to tell her? What if it’s too late?_

_Should I tell her now? How would she react?_

_If I don’t tell her now, maybe she’d think I’m giving her mixed signals?_

_What if she doesn’t feel the same way?_

He had all these questions in his head. Of course he had to set this aside while shooting, but he couldn’t help but feel like a giddy teenager at times. Because while a lot of things were uncertain, one thing he was sure of was that she was beautiful. _So_ beautiful. He was becoming more aware of the fact that getting to see and talk to her everyday made him happy-- and this was something he wanted to keep doing.

Filming the Episode 8 punch scene, Kang Tae’s moment with Munyeong was quite weird for Soo Hyun. He could not look her in the eyes for a long time, and would end up laughing in awkwardness, resulting to a lot of no good scenes (NGs).

[(See BTS clip here)](https://t.co/rdE3J0qsdK)

It was okay though, everyone ended up laughing with him, including Yea Ji, which he was happy about since he noticed her energy level was lower than usual that day.

They were down to filming the last scene of Episode 8, where Kang Tae runs towards Moon Young, telling her to go on a trip with him. It was a sunny day for shooting.

While waiting for the team to setup, Yea Ji positioned herself on the bench were Munyeong was supposed to wait for Kang Tae.

“When I look straight it’s okay, but when I look up, it’s too bright.” Yea Ji tells the director.

Soo Hyun, who was sitting beside Yea Ji, said, “Just look up while closing your eyes. They’ll just edit your eyes instead.”

Yea Ji bursts into laughter. Soo Hyun said it in such a serious voice, she didn’t see it coming.

Showing a proud smile as she laughed at his lame joke, he decides to try his best in finishing the scenes as soon as possible so that Yea Ji wouldn’t have to sit there for long.

Funnily enough, it was the opposite that happened. He kept messing up his lines, resulting to a lot of bloopers. It was okay though, because Yea Ji contributed to it as well, sneezing while Kang Tae was saying his lines.

[(See BTS clip here)](https://t.co/VRtU61bsBH)

This resulted to Soo Hyun bursting into hysterical laughter, and tripping on the equipment, falling on the ground. Everyone had a mini heart attack, they could not afford the drama’s leading man to have a sprain.

“Gwaenchana?” Yea Ji asks, genuinely concerned but trying to hold in her laughter at the same time.

Soo Hyun stood awkwardly, “I’m okay” he announced. 

The whole team laughs at Soo Hyun, making it one of the best bloopers they had.

It was a typical Soo Hyun moment.

They continued filming and succeeded after a few more takes. The cameramen set up the cameras at a farther angle, giving Yea Ji and Soo Hyun a short break.

Yea Ji, having to stay still, remains seated on the bench, just staring blankly. Soo Hyun notices how her eyes were reacting with the sun directly hitting her. Looking around, he was wondering why her staff hadn’t approached her to give her an umbrella. He then tries doing it himself instead, positioning himself right in front of her, putting his hands above her head, trying to block the sun.

Yea Ji, who was looking away, notices a shadow suddenly forming beside her. She looks up and sees Soo Hyun.

“What are you doing?” She says amusingly.

“You’re not feeling well, are you?” Soo Hyun asked. “And don’t lie.”

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to.” She chuckles. “Just a bit under the weather. But to be honest, our NGs made me forget.”

Getting sick was a big deal, especially since they were lead characters. They had to be honest about it, or at least not make it obvious so that the production team wouldn’t have to worry.

“You work too hard, Munyeongie.”

Yea Ji lets out a soft laugh and just stares at her co-star in amusement. _How cute._

“Look who's talking. Soo Hyun-ah, you know you’re the male lead and not my staff, right?” She grabs Soo Hyun’s hand and lets him sit beside her.

“I appreciate it though.” She says, patting his arm. “But people might think _I’m_ making you do these things.” She jokes.

“But I want to do these things.” He answered casually, realizing that it was the truth. He did want to do those things for her. And he wanted to be in the position to freely do so.

Yea Ji tried to ignore the fact that her heart fluttered at his response. _H_ _e's a gentleman to his co-stars, that's all,_ she thought.

 _Would this be the right time to tell her?_ Soo Hyun contemplates in his head.

He turns to Yea Ji, but as he was about to say something, he gets interrupted by Yea Ji’s staff, who brought with them her water and an umbrella.

“Mr. Kim, you’re being called to have your hair fixed.”

“Arasseo.” He smiles at Yea Ji and stands up. He scratches his head as he walks towards his staff.

They continued filming and ended after an hour.

Once they called it a day, Yea Ji changes her clothes and proceeds towards her van, finding a bag filled with vitamins and medicine drinks in her seat. She sees a note inside which read:

_Rest well and keep healthy because Kang Tae is excited for his first date with Munyeong._

"It's from Mr. Kim." Her assistant told her. "He left it when you were changing." Yea Ji smiles as she fastens her seatbelt.

If Munyeong and Kang Tae were taking steps towards their progressing relationship, Soo Hyun and Yea Ji were definitely not far behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GIF credits to these accounts on tumblr:  
> jeaehwany, letsflytoasiarenata, yesdramas, itsjenniejennie, sseureki
> 
> And these accounts on twitter for the bts clips:  
> chajooeunn, _saranghandago
> 
> Thank you! :)


	3. Of Bridges and Sunsets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'd like to date you."
> 
> Soo Hyun’s heart was pounding. He was excited to finally let his feelings out, yet scared of how things might turn out. One thing’s for sure though, he liked her that much to feel all those emotions at once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _There are way too many love songs  
>  And I think they've got it all wrong  
> 'Cause life is not the mountain tops  
> It's the walking in between  
> And I like you walking next to me_

It was an outdoor shooting for It's Okay To Not be Okay, Soo Hyun and Yea Ji's characters, Munyeong and Kang Tae, just had their first date in the mountains. They just finished filming the shaky bridge scene, the scene where they meet Areum and Jung Tae in one of the cottages nearby, and where KT kisses MY for the first time. The scenes tapped a lot of happy emotions. If Kang Tae and Munyeong were having fun on their date, Soo Hyun and Yea Ji had even more fun filming it. It was a good day.

Since their next filming had to be at night, they had some time to spare. The weather was perfect, and they were surrounded by nature. Yea Ji asked their manager if she could walk around and enjoy the fresh air. It's not everyday they had this kind of location, away from the public. Soo Hyun volunteered to walk with her too.

They walked towards a pathway that led them to a bridge overlooking the fields and mountains. Yea Ji takes a deep breath, enjoying the cool breeze.

"It seems like this place doesn't run out of bridges." Soo Hyun says while taking out his phone to getting pictures of the view. "Have I told you that I used to be scared of bridges?"

Yea ji faces him, surprised. "I had an accident when I was kid.” He chuckles. “And heights. I was really scared of heights. I still am, a little bit." He adds.

" So how did you just do the scene earlier? We were literally 100m above the ground..."

"I'm afraid of many things." He says as he faces her. "But people don't need to know that. That's why it's called acting." He whispers jokingly. Yea Ji chuckles, shaking her head in disbelief.

"How did you overcome it though?"

"I just tried doing it afraid. Slowly. But it’s gotten a lot better." He answers, giving a small smile.

“Oh right! I have a vague memory of you saying that during our Petitzel CF! That you were a bit anxious looking down from that rooftop." Yea Ji says. 

Soo Hyun turns to Yea Ji, startled and amazed at her memory. “I did? I Did I tell you? That was so long ago though?”

His fear of heights was something that he usually kept to himself as he didn’t want it to affect his work. Fake it until you make it was his motto, until, over time, he got better. So he was surprised that he mentioned it to Yea Ji that time, an artist he just met on that day. Even then, there must have been something about her that made him open up so easily.

“It was my first year as an actress, and you just finished My Love From the Star. Having a commercial film with you, Mr. Hallyu star, was a big deal for a rookie like me. So I remember bits and pieces. Who knew I'd have a drama with you after 6 years? It’s crazy.” Yea Ji recalls.

 _It is_ , Soo Hyun replies in his head. He remembers how Yea Ji was comfortable to work with, realizing how maybe, he liked her even then.

“You know what’s crazier? I think… I had a crush on you even then.” Soo Hyun admits.

 _Even then?_ “Is that a joke?” Yea Ji asks, waiting for the punchline.

“Well, maybe the right word is attracted to? Or intrigued? I had this comedian image of you because of random Potato Star episodes I had watched, and I found it cute how you weren't like that when we filmed. And when I heard you speak, your voice was different, which I liked even then.”

 _There it is again, “even then.”_ Yea Ji was just listening to him, not sure whether to believe him or not.

“You’re right, I was anxious because we were on a rooftop. But it also didn’t help that you looked like _that_ , even before. And I had to act like I had to kiss you. So it made me nervous. That’s what I remember.” He adds, letting out an awkward laugh, amused that they remember different things about that day.

“Plus you had this lasting impression on me. I could see how talented you were already with how your character in Potato Star was really different from the way you acted when I met you. It was intriguing. But during that time, I really didn’t have the time to date or think about those things. But I liked seeing you in events.” He explains.

 _And I’m happy seeing you everyday now._ He adds in his mind.

“That’s... surprising.” Yea Ji says, trying to make sense of what Soo Hyun just said.

Soo Hyun smiles. “Is it? I don’t think so. You’re pretty easy to like.”

“Well, I guess it’s easy to like someone you don’t know.” She casually responds.

“Hmm… But why I do like you even _more_ now?” He says, turning to Yea Ji.

Clearly not taking him seriously, she narrows her eyes and chuckles. “Ya. Where is this going?”

“Why? It’s true. I think I’m pretty bad at hiding it.” Soo Hyun replies.

Yea Ji turns to him, this time looking really surprised, not knowing how to respond.

"Yea Ji-ah...”

He takes a deep breath, gathering all the courage he has at that moment, and turns to Yea Ji.

“I'd like to date you. Officially. When the shooting ends."

Heart suddenly racing, Yea Ji was startled, but tried her best not to show it.

"Hey, is this your way of preparing for the scene?" She replied, laughing. "Ya, Moon Kang Tae, please let me talk to Kim Soo Hyun for now."

It was an on-going joke between them, calling each other with their character names, especially when similarities surfaced.

"You're one to talk." He joked, remembering all the times Yea Ji would carry Munyeong's mood even after the shooting.

But then his eyes became serious as he let out a deep breath. "But I thought of that too. That this is all Kang Tae. But I'm sure that's not the case. And I think you know that."

He was right. Yea Ji did have an idea. He made sure of it. He was always considerate of her, during and after shooting. Always helping her get ready for their scenes. Always finding ways to joke around after heavy scenes. Always the first one to check on her when she's not satisfied with her acting. Sometimes he even messages her after the shooting or gave her little gifts, just to make sure she’s okay. He was quick to observe what Yea Ji liked and what kind of support helped her, and his main method was really to make her laugh, which worked all the time. But he was also thoughtful and attentive -- always offering to carry her things, bring her food or coffee, offering his jacket because he knows how easily she gets cold...

He was always the life of the room, so he's interacting with everyone, but he had this way of making her feel seen and appreciated, always.

And she was grateful for it, enjoyed it even, since it helped a lot with their chemistry. Yea Ji knew that there was a possibility that it was Soo Hyun, and not Kang Tae, who was doing all these things. But she just shrugged it off, reminding herself that she was there to work, and just went with the flow.

She was speechless, not knowing how to feel about what Soo Hyun had just said. Soo Hyun was looking at her, trying to read her face.

She then smiles. "Why ask today of all days? On the day we filmed Kang Tae and Munyeong's first kiss? Really now?" Yea Ji says teasingly, but genuinely curious.

"I'm learning a lot from Kang Tae, that's for sure." He chuckles. "But unlike him, I don't want to waste my time when I already know what I want." He said.

Yea Ji turns to him, face full of mixed emotions. She lets out a nervous laugh.

Shaking her head, she says, “Sorry, I’m not used to you being this serious. Give me 10 seconds.” She takes a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts.

Soo Hyun’s heart was pounding. He was excited to finally let out his feelings, yet scared of how things might turn out. One thing’s for sure though, he liked her that much to feel all those emotions at once.

Yea Ji then turned to him. "You know I appreciate you, right? As Kang Tae and as Soo Hyun?"

Soo Hyun smiles softly and nods. "And you know I'm not pressuring you, right? I just wanted to let you know, to make things clear on my part. But take your time. Nothing will change on my end. As Kang Tae and as Soo Hyun." He assures her.

And somehow, she believes him. He's always a man of his word.

"Can I ask you something?" Yea Ji said. "What made you so sure? That it's not just character bleed?"

"Hmm... " He starts saying as his eyes start to wander around, looking at the view.

"I'm sure you're aware of how you affect me." He bursts out laughing, remembering their NG scenes because of him. "I knew I was attracted to you, even back in 2014, as you now know. And I looked forward to seeing you around at GM.” He chuckles. “But when we started shooting, I got SO nervous around you, but at the same time, found myself extra energized when you're around. That's how I knew I liked you." He looks at her, nodding, like it was a fact.

"And I like how we get each other. I like our teamwork and the way we exchange ideas. It's different. You help me more than you know." Soo Hyun says, flashing a genuine smile.

"But more than that, I like that you're passionate, but also honest. It's refreshing. I always find myself intrigued and impressed by you, and wanting to get to know you better." He says, looking at Yea Ji.

“If it's character bleed, I don't think I would be thinking about you that often. But I always find myself being concerned of you, or getting reminded of you. It's getting annoying to be honest." He rolls his eyes jokingly.

"And you know how you said I always say corny jokes? That surprised me. That's when I realized I kept wanting to talk to you. Even if it's just about nonsense things." Yea Ji nods, trying to digest everything he's saying.

"Or you just really have lame jokes?" She manages to insert. They both laugh.

"You often tell me that an actor only has to act well. And I'm happy I get to act well with you. But when I see you, it already makes my day. And I know that's not acting anymore."

He stops as he sees Yea Ji pursing her lips, trying to hide a smile. _Cheesy Soo Hyun was here_ , Yea Ji thought.

"Ya. I'm pouring my heart out here and you're trying not to laugh." He complains. They both burst out in laughter.

They're in their 30s, but in this moment, why do they feel like teenagers?

“Mianhe, Mianhe.” Yea Ji says, giggling. "I just… I don’t know how to react. But it's not just you though."

She looks at him, giving a shy smile. "I'm also... feeling things… but I'm just not sure what to make of them.”

“I'm not there yet. And there are a lot of things I need to consider." She added. Honest as always.

Soo Hyun smiles. It's the first time they were talking about this, but Yea Ji knew he understood. He, of all people, would understand.

"I know that it's not just a matter of giving me a chance, or of you liking me back. It's much bigger than that, I know. And I'm in." He said.

"You’re in?" Yea Ji asked.

"I'm in. Whatever changes I have to face, whatever setup we need, if it's to give "us" a shot, I'm in." He said, confidently.

Yea Ji looks at him, narrowing her eyes, and says, "What if I decide that I can't date you?"

"It would take time for me to accept, but I think I can trust you to tell me if it's what you really want, then I'd have to respect that." He responded. Yea Ji nods.

"What if some of your fans turn against you because you decide to date me?"

"Then I'd thank them for the years that they supported me." He answered.

"What if… something happens and we get awkward at the agency?" She asks, eyes widening at the thought.

"I'd be more awkward if I didn't at least tell you how I feel about you. I think everyone in the team has a clue by now." He said, letting out a chuckle.

"What if you end up not liking me as much once the drama ends and our characters fade?" She asks with a face of concern. She had never dated an actor before, and this was truly new to her.

"Hmmm... Munyeong's pretty and all, and Kang Tae likes her a lot, but I want to get to know _you_ , Seo Yea Ji. The girl I had a crush on in 2014 but was too much of a fool to ask out." He grinned.

Yea Ji smiles, cheeks warming at his answer. But it suddenly fades when she asks her next question.

"What if... it gets noisy… and I can't handle it?"

As much as she did not want to be bothered, Yea Ji was quite sensitive towards things being said about her. Being in the acting industry made people say a lot of false stories, which was something she was not comfortable with and sometimes just wanted to run away from. But she was slowly learning how to make changes that would allow her to handle it better, hence deactivating her social media accounts.

"Then I'll help you drown out the noise.” Soo Hyun says, eyes on her. “I want to be there for you, Yea Ji-ah. If you'll have me." Yea Ji looks at his eyes, shows a small smile, then looks back at the view.

"But… what if we don't last?" Yea Ji says, turning to face him again.

“Hmmmm..” He shrugs and says, “Then there would have been an important reason." Yea Ji nods.

"But what if we do?" He continued.

Yea Ji blinked at him, staying silent.

Soo Hyun responded with a wink, giving a triumphant smile. Even the most serious conversations felt easy with him.

"Seriously though…” Soo Hyun started saying. “It's not like I'm not scared. But I've given a lot of myself to my career. I've done harmful stunts, emotionally draining roles, and even R-rated scenes that required me to show my butt on screen." He chuckles. "And I don't regret any of it. I always step outside my comfort zone in acting, I think it's only fair that I give my personal life the same risks. So don't worry about me." He explains.

"A risk." Yea Ji utters. "Sad how trying to date would be a risk for both of us." She continues, thinking out loud.

"Everything's a risk, isn't it? Changing agencies, taking on this drama, being in this career, they’re all risks. It all boils down to what risks are worth taking." He says, turning to Yea Ji.

"You and me, together? I’d take that risk. It’s something I’ve decide for a while now. It’s different… when it's just the two of us." He continues.

Yea Ji responds with a smile. _He was right._

They share silence as they observe how the color of the sky slowly changes-- sunset.

"Time for the best part of the day." Yea Ji says, eyes on the horizon.

"You know, the older I get, the more sunsets amaze me." Soo Hyun shares, taking a picture of the sky.

"I get what you mean." Yea Ji says. "Growing up, my family would always go on a hike on the weekends. And we always made sure to get to the best view once it was time for sunset. I was just following around then, not knowing why we did that. But my mother would always whisper, _"The sunset is our daily reward for doing good, don't miss it if you can.”_ And it’s true. As life got more complicated, watching the sunset got more and more comforting. It eventually became something I always looked forward to watching. It's always like a pat on the head for me. Something that tells me I did well today. And if it doesn’t feel like I did, I can do well tomorrow."

Soo Hyun smiles as he listens to her, nodding in agreement. He loved hearing Yea Ji’s stories.

Yea Ji turns to Soo Hyun and notices that he was slowly backing away.

“Don’t move!" Yea Ji gets startled as Soo Hyun yells.

He then takes a picture of Yea Ji’s silhouette with the sunset. He looks at his phone, smiling at how it turned out.

"Yeppuda." He says.

Yea Ji looks back at him with a questioning look. “What was that for?”

"Well if this is our reward for the day, then it deserves a photo." Soo Hyun says. He was already known in set for taking the most random photos.

"You better not post that or Mr. Ryu would be pissed." Yea Ji jokes.

They hadn’t talked about it, but they were both instructed to keep a low profile if they didn't want any dating rumors. Everybody raving about their chemistry was a compliment on their acting, but it was clearly not impossible for a real romance to bloom between, and everyone knew that. Dating rumors would make things a bit more complicated, especially on their future projects. Yea Ji just followed their manager’s instructions, not knowing it would actually happen.

 _I guess Mr. Ryu already had an idea_ , Yea Ji thought.

“Don’t worry, I’ll crop you out.” He jokes.

“I guess Mr. Ryu knew what he was doing huh? Did you talk to him about this?”

“He actually asked me first. He already knew before I told him.” Soo Hyun laughs.

“Seems like he knows you well.” Yea Ji says, amazed at their relationship.

“He was already my manager when we first met. He was there when we filmed our Petitzel CF. You know, when I told him I liked you, he gave me a speech about having to wait until the shooting, which was what I was planning to do anyway, but later that night, he sent me a random text.”

“What did he say?”

“He said, _Soo Hyun-ah, you and Yea ji can finally answer that question in the CF you were both in_.”

“What question?”

_“Does pudding taste like a kiss? Or does a kiss taste like pudding?"_

"Sorry it took me 6 years for the kiss part though.” He adds.

They both burst out in laughter. At his joke, at his confession, and at the whole situation. It was indeed funny how the universe has brought them together after 6 years, and how things turned out.

“Hmm I think I’ll have to wait until after filming episode 16 to answer. I like pudding though.” She says teasingly.

“Oh, I’ll look forward to it then.” Soo Hyun says, accepting the challenge.

Despite Yea Ji feeling confused at the moment, she thinks about how she admires and respects Soo Hyun as an actor, and even more as a person. He was a good in his craft no doubt, but more than that, he had this growth mindset that radiated whenever he was on set. She has learned so much from him since the first day of their shooting, to the point that she could easily say that he has been her best on-screen partner so far.

Soo Hyun suddenly receives a call from the manager and said that shooting starts in a while, so they start going back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you before our shooting." He laughs.

"Ya, you just thought of that now?" She nudges him, laughing.

Maybe it was being in a place away from the noise, or how bridges reminded him of taking risks, or realizing that he liked her even 6 years ago. Or perhaps, it was the hopeful magic of the sunset? All he knew was he liked being in her life, and staying in it was a chance he didn’t want to miss. At least, not again.

"I don't know why, I just felt that it was the right time to say it." Soo Hyun says.

Yea Ji nods because that's all she can do for now. And he knows that.

"Ready for our first night together, Munyeongie?" He asks.

"I should be asking you that. Prepare yourself, Moon Kang Tae.” Yea Ji says with a chuckle.

They proceed walking back to the set while talking about their script, exiting their little world as Yea Ji and Soo Hyun, and shifting back to Munyeong and Kang Tae.

-

They continued to film Kang Tae and Munyeong's first night together. While they managed to keep their promise about nothing changing between the two of them especially during filming, Yea Ji was quite distracted that night, often forgetting her lines. This time, it was Soo Hyun's time to laugh at her NGs. Of course helping her, but while making fun of her.

_**[*See BTS video (2:35 - 3:50)*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn_Dz4u8o3k) ** _

_**[*See Diggle BTS video (1:21 to 2:50)*](https://www.instagram.com/tv/CDOrFLHn5aY/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet) ** _

Despite them constantly keeping in mind that everything should stay the same, knowing how they felt about each other brought out each other's competitive side, feeling much satisfaction when one flusters the other. That night, their on-screen chemistry was on fire, as their rehearsals and moments in-between takes were filled with their playful banters, taking turns in teasing each other. Lucky for them, their off-screen behavior somewhat coincided with their characters' emotions. Everyone was amazed at the accuracy and depth of their performance while filming.

Funny how life has brought them to this moment. If in the drama, Munyeong was waiting for Kang Tae to give in, Soo Hyun was now waiting for Yea Ji's sweet yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GIF credits to these accounts on tumblr:  
> my9410, yoonsoo, sseureki, chanikang, californ_yeah :)
> 
> I really love the BTS from this episode. Thank you to user Weldy on youtube and forurfeels on ig for the subbed BTS videos!


	4. Like a Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I get shy and nervous with kissing scenes...
> 
> How do you prepare for it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I'm falling for your eyes  
>  but they don't know me yet  
> And with a feeling I'll forget  
> I'm in love now  
> _

It’s been a busy 2 weeks, shooting for episodes 10 and 11. Everyone knew that Episode 11 was where Kang Tae and Munyeong would have their first intimate kiss. Today was the day, and Director Park oriented Soo Hyun and Yea Ji that it would be the second scene they would be filming that day.

After filming the scene where Soo Hyun runs up the stairs and hugs her, they take a break to prepare Munyeong’s bedroom for the kiss. Since it was their first intimate kiss, the director asked the two leads to discuss it with each other and prepare themselves.

Ever since the start of their filming, Soo Hyun’s always been consistent in discussing their scenes together in order to help them both get into character-- especially the emotional ones. He's very meticulous, even with the smallest details. He always has a vision on how he interprets a scene, but at the same time, is open for suggestions and comments. It was Yea Ji’s first time to be with such a collaborative male lead. And she can't help but admire him for that.

“Okay. Emotions involved, Munyeongie?”

“Frustration. Munyeong can’t understand Kang Tae’s mixed signals. She understood that you chose Sang Tae, but was deeply hurt by your words. She never expected those words coming from you. But knowing that your actions speak louder than your words, when you came and hugged her on her birthday, she got her hopes up again, only to find out that you were there looking for Ms. Park. She’s feeling all these emotions, maybe for the first time, so she can’t understand you and herself. She’s overwhelmed, so of course, her first reaction is to be angry. How about you, Kang Tae?”

“Confusion. Fatigue. But it was overpowered by _you._ Ko Munyeong. Like Munyeong, these emotions are new to him. These urges, and the actual want to act on them, are alien to him. It took being worried about your life to make him realize how much he cared for you, and how he couldn’t run away anymore. Confusion becomes realization of his feelings for you. And as a man of action, he expresses all these emotions and urges through doing something he’s been trying to control himself from doing for a long time now. It's a language he knows Munyeong would understand – a passionate kiss.“ Soo Hyun says, pursing his lips.

Yea Ji looks at him and asks, “Can I ask you something?

Soo Hyun turns to her and nods, allowing her to go on.

“I get… shy and nervous with kissing scenes.” She lets out a nervous chuckle. “How do you prepare for it?”

Out of nervousness and curiosity last night, Yea Ji googled Soo Hyun’s past projects to see how experienced her co-star was. She was shocked to read reviews about his past R-19 movie entitled Real, and didn’t know if she should get even more nervous, with the possibility that she might not respond to him as well as she should, or at ease, knowing that he could guide her.

Somehow knowing what she was referring to, Soo Hyun said, “ _This is not real. I allow you to touch me._ That’s what my co-star and I said to each other in my past project since you know, it was quite intimate. But that was different, and so long ago. This is a new project. So I’m also nervous.” He admits.

“Really? But I heard you’ve done--”

"It was an entirely different storyline." Soo Hyun inserts, not letting Yea Ji finish her sentence. He found it awkward to talk to about this with the girl he liked.

“I’m just surprised that you still get nervous. That’s all.” She says a bit teasingly.

“Well, it’s different each time. Kang Tae's emotions are very different -- deeper, and more complex. And this time, I'm doing it with _you_.” _And I really want to kiss you... that's the difference_ , he holds himself back from saying, keeping in mind that he was at work.

“Okay, so we’re both nervous.”

“What are you nervous about?” Soo Hyun asks.

“Hmm… I might be bad at it? And I think Munyeong has to be some sort of expert since she’s the one always coming at Kang Tae.” She laughs nervously.

“I highly doubt that.” Soo Hyun smiles. “But if it helps, I usually think of it as something similar to a dance that has choreography. There are actions you have to execute or respond to, and emotions you have to portray… But hey, since Kang Tae is the one who initiates the kiss, you can just follow my lead.”

Yea Ji nods, amazed at his analogy. She never saw intimate scenes that way.

“Like a dance.” Trusting her partner’s words.

“Yes, like a dance.” Soo Hyun repeats, allowing that trust. He was nervous as hell, but Yea Ji never opened up about being this nervous before scenes, so he thought he needed to step up to make her comfortable.

-

“Hana… Dul… Set.”

“Set.”

During their first take, Yea Ji was genuinely shocked at the force of Soo Hyun’s kiss. When his tongue enters her mouth, Soo Hyun feels the change in her breathing. She squeezes her eyes closed and lets her lips be explored by his, responding to his pace.

After what seems like a while, the director yells “Cut!”

Yea Ji buries her face on Soo Hyun’s shoulder, feeling shy. She couldn’t stand up because they had to stay in the same position. Soo Hyun purses his lips, giving her a pat on the back, until she pulls away. They both laugh nervously.

“Munyeong, nice adlib. I like how you squeezed your eyes in surprise. Really perfect as Munyeong. Keep it up.” Yea Ji nods with a small curve on her lips, cheeks starting to warm.

“Kang Tae, when Munyeong suddenly backed away, good job pushing her towards you. It looks really good. Great job guys.” Soo Hyun faces her and they both laugh.

“Okay, Munyeong needs to hug Kang Tae, but how do we make it more exciting?” The director asks.

“Hmm… Why don’t I lift her?” Soo Hyun volunteers.

“Can you?” The director confirms, looking at Soo Hyun, who turns to Yea Ji.

“May I?” He asks Yea Ji, who nods.

“Let’s try it.” She says.

-

“Action.”

With Yea Ji’s hands around his around his neck, Soo Hyun puts his hands around her waist and lifts her, supporting the weight of her body with his. Yea Ji lets out a soft moan, which makes Soo Hyun press his body tighter on her, deepening the kiss. Yea Ji realizes he has a fondness for biting her lower lip, and she just lets him, kissing him back and playing with his neck, letting him know she likes it. By now, their lips are familiar with each other, moving and responding so naturally, almost as if their lips have known each other for a long time.

They both pull away, allowing themselves to breathe. Yea Ji slowly opens her eyes, already finding him gazing at her.

Both of them are breathing heavily. She feels her heart flutter and looks down, feeling a bit shy, trying to digest what just happened.

The director doesn’t yell cut. 

She finds herself looking back at his lips, and then eyes, realizing Soo Hyun’s hungry eyes never left hers.

Soo Hyun looks at her, taking in the beauty that was in his hands—his heart was pounding knowing that in this moment, the girl he liked, as Kang Tae, but also as Soo Hyun, was in his arms.

He presses his lips on her again, carefully laying her on the bed.

It was a kiss that meant _“I’m sorry. I’m never letting you go again”_ as Kang Tae.

But may as well be a kiss that meant _“This is how much I like you”_ as Soo Hyun.

“CUT!” Director Park says, making them pull away slowly. “That long gaze after pulling away, amazing both of you. Let’s keep that. Let’s shoot it in different angles.”

-

“Good job Munyeong and Kang Tae.” The director says. They approach the monitors to see what the kiss looked like. As the director was satisfied, he gave them a short break before proceeding to the scene where Munyeong takes care of sick Kang Tae.

Yea Ji, still dizzy from all the kissing, gets a bottle of water and goes to the balcony to get some fresh air. Her heart races as she remembers how her heart fluttered looking at Kang Tae, and how his lips felt so good on hers.

“This is just acting.” She thinks, shaking her head. “He’s done a lot more than that.”

She turns around, hearing footsteps approaching. It was Soo Hyun. He positions himself beside her.

“You okay?”

Yea Ji nods.

“We did it. I knew you were worried for nothing.” He says with a grin.

She smiles at him. “You’re a good dancer. Thanks for leading.” She teases.

Soo Hyun laughs, cheeks blushing at her comment.

“Well, I had the best partner.” He replies, subtly assuring her that whatever she was feeling, she was definitely not alone.

Their chemistry in real life was undeniable, and it had shined through their characters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credits to these godsent accounts on tumblr for the gifs:  
> dramaintherain, sseureki :)


	5. How do you know it's real?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set in episode 14, they start filming Munyeong's heaviest scenes. The setup was quite familiar to Yea Ji -- Kang Tae wanting to be with Munyeong, and Munyeong feeling the same, but thinking otherwise. There was a wall between them, and it was only Munyeong who could choose to open it. All Kang Tae could do was wait patiently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _There was a time when  
>  I would have believed them,  
> If they told me that  
> you could not come true--  
> Just love's illusion  
> But then you found me  
> And everything changed  
> And I believe in something again_

After the calm...

...was the storm. They were down to the last 3 episodes of It's Okay To No Be Okay. Munyeong's scenes were quite heavy, because she found out that her mother was still alive. Yea Ji tried to put herself in Munyeong’s shoes as best as she could, so that she could portray the scene well.

Munyeong's childhood experiences, and the person she had become because of those experiences spoke so powerfully to Yea Ji. She was a complex character, but one that the world needed to see, hear, and feel. The whole of episode 14 was a crying and mentally suffering Munyeong. And Yea Ji had unintentionally sacrificed her sleep the night before, internalizing her emotions. It was okay for her though, as Munyeong was tired in this scene, so it would work to her benefit.

As she entered the set, Soo Hyun was already there. They greet each other a good morning.

"Ready for today's scene? It's going to be heavy, especially for you, Munyeongie." He says.

"I couldn't sleep last night thinking about today.” Yea Ji admits. “But I’ll do my best.”

"You always do." He replies with an assuring smile.

After they get their hair and make up done, the staff informs them that the shooting will be starting in 30 minutes. Soo Hyun approaches her and asks if she wants to internalize together.

Since they have minimal lines, they read the thoughts of their characters aloud and try to discuss their feelings, while in character.

Soo Hyun gives a small smile, and nods his head, signaling that they start. Yea Ji also nods her head in response.

They now shift to Kang Tae and Munyeong.

"What are the feelings in this scene, Ko Munyeong?" Soo Hyun asks.

"Devastation. Fear. Uncertainty. Sadness. Anger. Frustration." Yea Ji says slowly.

"Everything feels so heavy. We both lived difficult lives. It's our first time to love and be loved, and yet this happens. I think staying with you would only make things worse. You'd eventually go back to having that sad smile I absolutely hated. And I can't have that. I would rather suffer alone." Yea Ji says as Munyeong.

"It hurts that it happened, and I still can't fully grasp the thought, but what I know is you are not your mom. And you will never be your mom. You are Ko Munyeong, the girl I have liked since I was a little boy." Soo Hyun says as Kang Tae.

"That doesn't make me any less connected to the murderer of your mother." She looks at Kang Tae with bloodshot eyes. "How will liking me ever overpower the fact that my mother ruined your life? Imagine the life you and Sang Tae could have lived if she were still alive. Imagine having a normal childhood." Yea Ji says while tears start to pool in her eyes. "Not having to force yourself to grow up and take care of Sang Tae alone. Being able to go to school in a proper uniform. Having your own set of friends. Not having to move around because Sang Tae doesn't have nightmares. Imagine all of those things. My own mother did that to you. Her blood is in me. We will always be connected and I can't do anything about that."

"Must you feel guilty for something you didn't do?" Soo Hyun asks with a low voice.

"Hypocrite."

They just stare at each other for a while, and Soo Hyun lets out a deep breath followed by a soft laugh.

They were back to being Soo Hyun and Yea Ji.

He smiles, saying, "Ouch. That really hurt."

He gets the box of tissues at the side and passes it too Yea Ji. He plays with her left hand and says, "Hwaiting, Munyeongie. We got this.” Smiling at her.

"Thank you Kang Tae-ssi." Yea Ji replies with a small laugh.

-

The shooting goes well, and they do it for different angles. The internalizing last night, and with Soo Hyun just a while ago, helped her cry on cue for the many necessary takes.

Yea Ji felt so drained after the shooting, like Munyeong's exhaustion had stayed with her. Character bleed, it was a struggle she was willing to go through.

-

"Cut! Good job, Yea ji. Good job, Soo Hyun." The director said. Their last scene for the day was when Kang Tae was sitting outside Munyeong's room while she was crying her eyes out inside her bedroom.

"It's not your fault. And that goes for all of us." His lines echoed in her mind as she stands up.

She always admired the symbolism of that scene-- of Kang Tae wanting to be with Munyeong, and Munyeong feeling the same, but thinking otherwise. There was a wall between them, and it was only Munyeong who could choose to open it. All Kang Tae could do was wait patiently.

Soon Hyun then opens the door connecting the two of them and flashes a proud smile while rubbing her shoulders. "Wooow, Moonyoungie, you were so good!" He says with his big eyes, clapping his hands.

Yea Ji chuckles as she wipes some leftover tears, and says, "You too, Moon Kang Tae."

Soo Hyun then takes out his handkerchief. "I'm being serious though. You did well today." He says, as he helps Yea Ji dry her eyes.

Some staff approach them to give them some water and informs them that there's food downstairs. Soo Hyun's eyes light up hearing the word _food._

"Kumawo." They both say.

He then takes the water bottles from the staff who proceed to tidy the room. Soo Hyun opens one bottle, and gives it to Yea Ji before opening the other one for himself.

"Let's get some food?" He grins. They proceed downstairs.

Everyone was downstairs eating and mingling with each other. Yea Ji got a sandwich, found a chair, and sat down, tired. Oh Jung Se approaches her, while Soo Hyun goes around talking to some of the cast and staff. They were going to film the scene where Sang Tae feeds Munyeong in bed the next day.

"Gwaenchana? More crying tomorrow though." He teases.

Yea Ji chuckles and says, "It's part of the job, oppa. Just make sure to feed me properly tomorrow." She replies and they both laugh.

"There was a line that I liked earlier. From Kang Tae." Jung Se suddenly mentions.

"What was that?" She asked.

"When I see you smile at me, I forget everything else." He said to Yea Ji with a smirk.

"Get to your point, oppa." She says, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm saying that it was a good line. And it sounded so _real._ " He nudges Yea Ji teasingly.

They never really talked about it, but they were a trio so Jung Se was with them all the time, and he sensed there was something going on with the both of them. They wouldn't be shocked if most of the staff knew. But everyone pretended not to notice, and they were thankful for that.

"Well yeah, he's a good actor." Yea Ji casually responds.

"I agree." Oh Jung Se replies. "On screen, he's an amazing actor. Off screen, not so much. That line goes for both Kang Tae and Soo Hyun." He grins.

Yea Ji rolls her eyes jokingly, too exhausted to fight with him.

Finally acknowledging what Jung Se said, she then asks, "What made you say so? That it's real?”

This apparently startled Oh Jung Se. She usually just ignores it when he teases her with Soo Hyun.

"Hmmm..." He turns to Yea Ji, and explains. "You said he's a good actor, and I agree. He knows pretty well that the that the world created between two actors is not real. That's why he's so sure of what he truly feels as Soo Hyun. He knows what eventually fades, and what doesn’t." He says. Yea Ji nods, trying to take in what he just said.

"So you acting as his _hyung_ right now, when we're not shooting... What does that make you?"

Jung Se laughs, seeing Yea Ji’s playful smirk.

"That makes me human." He answers. "We're not at fault for being actors. Having this job shouldn't stop us from being human."

Because they had gotten so close, Yea Ji had forgotten how older Jung Se was than them. But conversations like this with him surely remind her of how she still had a lot to learn. They both chuckle, surprised at how serious their conversation had gotten.

The director suddenly speaks up, asking them to gather around as he gives instructions for tomorrow's filming.

-

Afterwards, Soo Hyun and Yea Ji had to head back to Gold Medalist immediately for a meeting, so they both take his van so Yea Ji’s staff can take their time in packing up and preparing for tomorrow. Out of all the characters, it was Munyeong who was the most high maintenance so she did not want to rush them.

They both entered Soo Hyun’s van, and he let her stay in the window seat, handing her a pillow.

"Tired?" He asks.

She nods resting head at the back of her seat and hugging the pillow.

"You can sleep. It's a 30-minute drive anyway. I'll wake you up." He says.

"Kumawo." Yea Ji says, giving him a tired smile, lightly rubbing his hand. He smiles back.

When Yea Ji wakes up, she notices that they were near GM. She turned to Soo Hyun.

"Hey, how was your nap?" He asks.

"I really slept huh." She chuckles. It's not usual for her to sleep in the car, but the few times that she did, she realized she was with him.

Soo Hyun hands her a cup of iced coffee. Her favorite. It turns out they passed by a drive thru café while she was sleeping.

"Oh for me?" She asks, clearly excited. Iced coffee always made her so happy.

"A small treat for your hard work today. It's decaf, by the way. You don't need more caffeine in your system." He says teasingly.

There was a text on the cup _: You did well today, Munyeongie. :)._

Yea Ji smiles. They were both tired, but Yea Ji realizes he was effortlessly thoughtful that way.

He always gave the best little gifts. He always paid attention to what she liked, and somehow knew the best time to surprise her.

They arrive at GM’s basement and head up to their office with Manager Ryu.

The meeting started with the staff informing Soo Hyun and Yea Ji about the different offers they’ve gotten. The GM production team had also informed them about removing some intimate behind-the-scenes (BTS) clips from IOTNBO because they had already received negative reviews about their drama not being R-13 appropriate. It was better to be safe than sorry, they said. This reminded Mr. Ryu of something that he had been wanting to bring up.

“About that…” He started to say. “Can I screen the BTS episodes before it’s released? Just to be more safe.” He said, eyeing Soo Hyun and Yea Ji.

Mr. Ryu didn’t want to risk anything that could spark dating rumors, especially when Soo Hyun already told him that he had confessed to Yea Ji. Since Soo Hyun has been assertive with what he wanted ever since he finished his military service, and had been slowly breaking certain expectations of him, Mr. Ryu sensed that denying his potential relationship with Yea Ji was something he wouldn’t want to do anymore. So his solution was to avoid having rumors at all costs.

They ended the meeting having to review and sign certain documents. Feeling tired, Yea Ji said goodbye to everyone, including Soo Hyun, as her driver was already waiting in the basement. He grabs her hand and says, "I'll walk you down. I'll just go fix my papers."

They were the only ones left in the meeting room. Yea Ji saw from the glass window that the sky was slowly turning orange. It was sunset. Soo Hyun, suddenly beside her, said "We did well today."

Realizing that he remembered what she said about sunsets, she turned to him and smiled. "We did." Yea Ji replied.

She remembers the stress she felt during her first years as an actor, when everything felt so noisy-- she felt so pressured with the sudden changes that her work had brought to her personal life. It was then that watching the sunset had become something that brought her so much comfort, even just for a short while. But she realized that lately, despite being pressured and busy with the drama, she was more at ease now than in any other project in the past. And she knew in that moment, that it was through Soo Hyun. His presence and actions never failed to remind her that she was doing well. Without recognizing it, he was already drowning the unnecessary noise.

He offered his hand, wanting to carry the bag of papers Yea Ji was holding. He gets startled when she put her arms around his body in response, wrapping him in an embrace.

"Kumawo." Yea Ji says.

Soo Hyun is startled. "For what?" He asks, awkwardly putting his free hand on her back.

"For remembering. For the coffee. For everything."

He strokes her hair, and Yea Ji looks up to him and just stares at his eyes for a while. _How can this man allow me to recharge this easily?_ She thought.

She gives him a warm smile and says, "Let's go?" breaking away from the hug, and started turning towards the door.

Soo Hyun pulls Yea Ji's hand and brings her back in his arms.

"Just a little bit longer." He says, hugging her tight and slowly swaying her from side to side.

Yea Ji, returns the embrace and lets herself be carried by Soo Hyun’s movements.

"I don’t know what’s up with you, but get good sleep tonight, okay?" Soo Hyun says before he lets go, gets the bag of papers she was bringing and approaches the door.

"C'mon, time to go home." Soo Hyun says. Yea Ji smiles and immediately follows.

Once the elevator arrives at the basement, Soo Hyun gives Yea Ji her bag of papers. "See you tomorrow." He says while gently brushing her shoulder.

"See you." Yea Ji replies and they go their separate ways.

Once Yea Ji gets in the car, she sends Soo Hyun a text:

_"I'm in."_

He quickly replies _. "Me too. Safe trip, Yea Ji ah."_

_"Hahahahaha! Soo Hyun-ah, I meant... Salgamos"_

Soo hyun quickly searches it on the internet and is pleasantly surprised to learn what it meant: _Let's date._

He feels his heart beat going faster and quickly types _"JINJJA?"_

_"Yes. After the drama. Let's give it a try."_

Sending the text, Yea Ji's heart was racing in nervousness and excitement -- this was something new to her. While she still had some worries, it was always met with reassurance that what she and Soo Hyun had was a risk worth taking. She smiles as she remembers what Soo Hyun said when he first confessed: _It's different when it's the two of us._

Truly, it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next episode will be set in episode 15 and 16 :)
> 
> PS. I'm definitely open to corrections on the spanish word haha!
> 
> Credits to sseureki on tumblr for the gifs :)


	6. Prepare Yourself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If liking Yea Ji brought Soo Hyun so much energy, knowing it was mutual had him ecstatic. But realizing that he could actually date her after the shooting ended? Ecstatic was an understatement.
> 
> Set in episodes 15 and 16, Yea Ji could hear Soo Hyun's words repeat in her head, _prepare yourself._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Found myself today  
>  singing out your name,  
> You said I'm crazy,  
> If I am, I'm crazy for you_

Yea Ji and Soo Hyun were set to meet after lunch because Yea Ji’s solo scenes were scheduled in the morning. Yea Ji had only 2 hours of sleep the other night because aside from talking to Soo Hyun, who had a lot to say during their call last night, she had insomnia, which usually happened when she was filming for a project.

During lunch break, she finished her meal quickly so she could take a short nap in one of the prep rooms. As she entered the room, she noticed she didn't hear the door close. Turning her back to check, she saw a foot blocking it.

She was happy to see who the foot belonged to --it was Soo Hyun's.

She flashed a warm smile seeing her man's face. He mirrored her smile, like it was second nature.

"Gwaenchana?" He asked. "I heard you only ate a little."

"I just need to recharge a bit.” Yea Ji answered.

"I can help with that." He said, pulling Yea Ji in a tight embrace; her face on his chest, his hand brushing her hair.

"You know it's unfair that you hug everyone but me." He uttered.

Yea Ji was a hugger, and was always clingy with the cast and staff. But since she and Soo Hyun had to lay low, especially when there were BTS cameras, he received the least hugs from IOTNBO's clingiest actress. Yea Ji happily squeezes Soo Hyun's body in response, playfully rubbing his back.

"Aigoo what a big baby." Yea Ji teases.

Soo Hyun smiles and cups her face in his hands. "I’m _your_ big baby, right?" He jokes.

 _Cheesy Soo Hyun was back_. Yea Ji playfully pushes his chest in response.

Soo Hyun manages to pull her closer, gaze shifting from Yea Ji’s eyes to her lips. He leans in, assuming that after all the kiss scenes they've done, they deserved to share one kiss for themselves, and not for the cameras.

He was surprised to find Yea Ji's finger blocking his lips. Apparently, they weren’t on the same page.

"Ya. After the shooting, big baby. Remember?" Yea Ji says with a smirk.

An upside-down curve forms on his lips. Playfully flashing the saddest puppy dog eyes he could show, he plants a kiss on her finger instead.

He had the desire to get closer to her, as if they weren’t close enough at the moment. He lets out a deep sigh, stroking Yea Ji’s hair.

He could not get enough of this woman, but he understood why they had to wait.

He tightens his hold on her, liking how Yea Ji’s petite frame fit perfectly in his arms. He feels his heart flutter -- he was actually in the position to do that now.

With teasing eyes, Yea Ji looks up at him and giggles. Soo Hyun gently arranges the hair falling on her face, putting it behind her ear.

"I'm impressed, you can look me in the eyes now." Yea Ji says.

"I could stare at you all day. I still can't believe you said yes." Soo Hyun releases her from his embrace, and holds both her hands as he sways them back and forth.

“I can’t wait to date you, Yea Ji-ah.” He proudly whispers.

Yea Ji chuckles as her cheeks start to warm. _Me too,_ she replies in her head _._

"Hey, enough staring. We have 30mins to take a nap."

They sit on the couch in the room and Soo Hyun pats his shoulder, signaling that she can lay her head on it.

"C’mon. I’ll memorize my lines while you sleep. I'll wake you up." He says.

"What if people walk in?"

"They won't." He assures her, brushing his thumb on her hand.

He had requested the staff to give her the room for the rest of the break. And just like that, the Yea Ji who couldn’t fall asleep just anywhere, was now snoring.

 _Kyeopta._ Soo Hyun thinks, letting out a soft chuckle.

-

The next days were filled with soft giggles, stolen touches, wide smiles, warm hugs, long gazes, and basically just two colleagues head-over-heels for each other. It didn't affect their work of course, if anything, it even added to their electric chemistry. But they were careful in being professional and refrained from being too clingy when in set. After all, they didn't want to give Mr. Ryu a headache after everything he's done for them. Still, it was undeniable how Soo Hyun and Yea Ji had their own little world once they started talking.

If liking Yea Ji brought Soo Hyun so much energy, knowing it was mutual had him ecstatic. But realizing that he could actually date her after the shooting ended? Ecstatic was an understatement.

-

It was time to film the scene in Ep 15 where Munyeong talks to the tree of the Moon brothers’ mother. When Yea Ji was done with her hair and makeup, she went out of the prep room to get ready for the scene. She sees Soo Hyun coming out of his preparation room, which was just across hers. The moment he saw her, he stopped and put his hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat going faster.

He was dumbfounded at how Yea Ji looked-- with her long sleeved black pencil dress that complimented her slim figure, a belt that emphasized her waist and chest, the black stiletto knee high boots, and her pulled up hair with a few strands falling on each side of her face.

He knew Yea Ji was beautiful, but he was amazed how she managed to make him speechless every single time.

She was ethereal, and it was hard to believe that someone could be so breathtaking.

He was scanning her from head to toe, saving that image in his head. He knew Munyeong’s outfits had to be distinct, but this one had to be his favorite.

He smiles with wide eyes as she nears, and Yea Ji lets out a soft giggle seeing his expression.

He squeezes both her shoulders, looks her in eyes for a few seconds and shakes his head.

"It's ridiculous how beautiful you look right now, do you know that?" He says.

Yea Ji shakes his hands off her shoulders. "Ya, This is supposed to be an emotional scene. Stop making me laugh."

Soo Hyun takes her hand and starts pulling her back to her prep room. "C'mon lets take you back to change, people can't see you like this!"

Yea Ji stops him and intertwines her hand in his. "This is the scene where Kang Tae finally tells Munyeong he loves her. Don't you think I should look the part?"

Soo Hyun turns to her, gives a mischievous smile, and says, "I just realized... That's what you're wearing for our kiss scene later."

He takes her hand and gives it a kiss. "Prepare yourself, Ko Munyeong."

Yea Ji slowly brings her head over Soo Hyun’s shoulder and whispers in her deep Munyeong voice that Soo Hyun absolutely loved,

"I look forward to it, Moon Kang Tae."

-

Soo Hyun had so much energy in shooting the iconic I love you parallel scene, having no problem whatsoever to gather the needed emotions in shouting 'I love you' at his co-star.

He even ended up singing a lot in between takes, effortlessly entertaining the cast and crew.

His opera voice always made Yea Ji laugh, and he always enjoyed making her laugh.

_[(watch BTS here 1:10-3:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIgkbtVmn34) _

-

It was time for the Ep16 kiss scene inside Munyeong’s study, and the director helps them choreograph how they travel towards the table, since it was uncomfortable for Yea Ji to walk backwards, as was originally planned.

Soo Hyun suddenly lifts her bridal style and says, "Why don't I carry her instead?"

A shocked Yea Ji ends up sitting on the table, and Soo Hyun gives her a wink.

The director just laughs, pretending not to notice what Soo Hyun just did and says, "Sure, let's go with that."

True enough, Soo Hyun executed the scene so effortlessly.

-

The scene starts filming.

Soo Hyun persistently chases Yea Ji’s lips as Kang Tae, leaning closer for a kiss.

Being in character, Yeaji dodges his attempts, slowly moving backwards.

Staring at his face, she finds his eyes fixed on her lips.

The tension builds between them -- aside from the beat of their own hearts, the silence of the room emphasized the echoing sound of their breaths, chests moving up and down.

Despite the many takes required, he had to admit, it wasn’t hard to project the longing that his character had – he’s also been waiting for this moment as Soo Hyun, and he was happy to do so as Kang Tae.

The deer makes its entrance, giving Munyeong and Kang Tae the icebreaker they needed.

Both burst into laughter.

Still, no one could stop Kang Tae from expressing his feelings for Munyeong. His safety pin could not be found at the moment.

She looks at him, eyes speaking the intentions of Munyeong's heart. 

_I just wanted what's best for you. And I thought that wasn't me._

But her thoughts are immediately answered by Kang Tae.

"I love you." he says so reassuringly.

After everything, he truly loved her.

And for some reason, she now believed him.

 _Love._ It had been something quite alien to the both of them. But somehow...

they found it in each other.

 _This must be what it feels like_. _Love._

Yea Ji sheds a tear, as Munyeong finally accepts Kang Tae’s affection.

She welcomes her partner's lips, kissing him back, like she wants to.

Soo Hyun kisses her gently, but hungrily, as was needed from the suppressed Kang Tae. But in that moment, it felt like the line between Kang Tae and Soo Hyun had blurred.

In the episode 11 birthday kiss, Yea Ji had properly responded to Kang Tae’s kisses. But this time, Soo Hyun was startled at how she first greeted his mouth with her tongue. Despite the surprise, he instantly parts his lips, breathing her in-- allowing his girl to explore what was hers, both as Munyeong and Yea Ji.

He makes sure to return the favor, devouring her lips – caressing, playing, softly biting-- with equal demand.

He places one hand on her back, and the other supporting her head, stroking his thumb on her hair, carefully laying her on the table.

He was pleasantly surprised by Yea Ji's performance, but of course, this triggered his competitive side.

True enough, after how many takes, Yea Ji had her makeup retouched because her lips became too plump. Soo Hyun, silently proud, just pursed his lips, giving a small triumphant smile.

They continue filming.

His lips brushes against hers once again, almost too naturally now – eyes are closed, tongues are pushing against each other. He presses his body against hers, now feeling the beat of her heart against his chest.

Both just getting lost in each other.

They pull apart, gathering some much needed oxygen.

Slowly opening their eyes, they stare deeply at each other-- eyes full of love and longing.

Eyes that found _home._

-

“Okay, cut. Well done both of you. But stay in your positions. We’re down to our last take. A long shot this time.” The director said.

Having their mics on, they only exchange warm smiles and soft giggles – not needing any words at the moment.

The staff slowly move the cameras.

“3…2…”

Soo Hyun guides Yea Ji who positions herself back on the table, eyes locked on each other the whole time.

Soo Hyun’s eyes were dark, but playful. Yea Ji could hear his words repeat in her head, _prepare yourself._

“Action."

He breaks from their gaze and presses his lips deep into hers once again, shoving his tongue into her mouth, leaving no corner unexplored, marking his territory on her mouth.

Yea Ji smiled, clearly knowing what he was doing.

Soo Hyun just continued, glad to feel the satisfied curve on her lips.

He slants his head further, taking the chance to deepen the kiss. Further crushing his body into hers, their lips move in perfect sync, as he playfully nibbles on her lower lip – he couldn’t get enough. Yea ji plays with his hair in response, happy to be the recipient of his affection.

-

All cameras were on them, but like their characters, Yea Ji and Soo Hyun were in their own world at that moment, making the kiss scene what it was--

_Breathtaking, hot-blooded, passionate._

It was a kiss that said _“I love you”_ As Kang Tae and Munyeong.

But it might as well be a kiss that meant _“This is just the beginning”_ for Yea Ji and Soo Hyun –

A promise that there was much more to come.

Much much more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you users sseureki and chanikang on tumblr for the gifs, and user Weldy on youtube for the subbed bts! :)
> 
> Next chapter will be set on their last filming day, stay tuned!


	7. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was the last day of filming, and Yea Ji was secretly looking forward to this day. So she was a bit disappointed that it was today of all days that Soo Hyun decided to follow the rules.
> 
>  _Should I have not waited until the end of the shooting?_ She asks herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Everywhere that I go,  
>  everywhere that I be,  
> If you are not surrounding me  
> with your energy,  
> I don't wanna be there,  
> don't wanna be anywhere,  
> Any place that I can't feel you,  
> I just wanna be near you  
> _

It was the last day of shooting, and they had just finished the last scene where Sang In picks up Sang Tae for his new job. The cast and crew were outdoors, and everyone was quite emotional, hugging and taking pictures of each other, saying their goodbyes.

Yea Ji, on the other hand, was led away from the crowd by her staff, asking her to enter her van. Once she opened it, she saw that it was decorated with lights, pictures, small gifts, and balloons that spelled "Congratulations love." Yea Ji was surprised, and hugged each of her staff members. If she had been stressed as Munyeong, she could not imagine how it was being Munyeong’s staff. Shooting long hours also meant longer hours of preparation for them, and she was grateful to have formed a close bond with each of them.

Luckily, she did not come empty handed. She had already bought gifts for each of them. Normally, she treats them to a vacation, however due to COVID, she had opted to buy them small tokens of gratitude instead.

As she gave it to them, her personal assistant, the one she says everything to, pulled her aside and gave her a red envelope.

Opening it, her assistant could see the look of surprise on her face.

It was a certification stating that she now had ownership of her favorite Cartier ring. She was amazed as she was actually planning to buy one herself.

"I can keep this ring? But how?” She asked, clearly in disbelief.

“It’s from lover boy over there. He asked me not to tell you though.” She said, motioning her head towards Soo Hyun.

“Congratulations, Yea Ji-ah. You did well.” She says, smiling, as she gives Yea Ji a hug. 

“I couldn’t have done it without the best staff.” Yea Ji said, eyes tearing up. Aside from her co-actors, it was her staff who truly knew how challenging of a role being Ko Munyeong was.

“And I'm happy for you. He's a good guy. Quite different from the others.” She continues. Yea Ji hugs her tighter in response.

After their special moment, Yea Ji explores the van, looking at the different pictures and gifts her staff prepared. With her hand in front of her, she catches a glimpse of the Cartier ring she was wearing, which was now hers. Yea Ji shakes her head, letting out a soft chuckle. Along with the rest of the cast and staff, she had prepared a simple gift for him as well, which she left in his van. It was definitely not as grand as the ring, but it was something that reminded her of him.

She had given him a black bucket hat and 2 dozen pieces of Petitzel pudding. She wrote a note to explain:

_Here’s a simple gift for always lending me your jacket when I’m cold, or covering me from the sun when it’s hot, for giving the corniest jokes that brighten up the room, and for your never-ending emotional support. Simply put, thank you for being the best partner. My Kang Tae, like a black hat, you’re so warm!_

_PS. It took me 6 years to find out, but your kisses taste like dozens of pudding combined!_ _😉_

_Moonyoung_

_-_

Yea Ji gets called by the staff, saying that she’s the only one missing for the cast and crew photo. She goes out of the van, seeing everyone already in their positions. Soo Hyun and Jung Se had saved her a seat between them.

Making her way through everyone, she sits between the Moon brothers. She looks at both of them and smiles, laying her hands out in front of them, gesturing that they hold hands.

“Oppa, Kang Tae-ah. Kumawo.” With the three of them clearly getting teary-eyed, they each take Yea Ji’s hand. Soo Hyun squeezes her hand, and they smile for the camera.

-

Tired from an emotional last day of filming, Yea Ji and Soo Hyun head home separately. Riding in the same van without any reason would cause suspicion, what was one more day of laying low anyway? With both of them having the rest of the year off, they had all the time to date now.

At least, that’s what Soo Hyun said.

Yea Ji was secretly looking forward to this day, so she was a bit disappointed that it was today of all days that Soo Hyun opted to follow the rules.

She and Soo Hyun were like magnets, and trying to act like they weren’t during the filming was _not_ easy at all.

Realizing they had become accustomed to subtly touching each other while interacting, which was unusual for mister-manner-hands Soo Hyun, it was usually Yea Ji who had to remind him to keep his hands away. Also, while she didn’t want to admit it out loud, filming those heated kissing scenes left quite a memory on her lips. Despite having fun teasing him, she had to admit, choosing to wait until the end of the drama was a challenge for her too.

Truly, having to block all of Soo Hyun’s attempts to hold her in public, or steal secret kisses, was more difficult than how she made it appear. She shakes her head, thinking that she should be awarded for having been able to resist him.

That’s why today was a special day-- aside from being the last filming day of their drama, it also marked the actual end of having to “resist” each other. But it seemed like she was more excited than Soo Hyun was.

 _Should I have not waited until the end of the shooting?_ She asks herself.

But she definitely did not want to be unprofessional. 

_It was the right thing to do,_ she assures herself.

She takes a look at her ring. Smiling, she remembers how Soo Hyun always had the best intentions.

_Okay, maybe going our separate ways today was the best thing to do._

As they filmed in quite a far location for that last scene, it would take around 2-3 hours to get back to Seoul. Lacking sleep for how many days now, Yea Ji finds herself slowly drifting off.

-

She wakes up as she notices the van entering a basement parking. But to her surprise, it wasn’t her apartment’s basement. It was GM’s.

“Why are we here?” She asks her assistant.

Giving a mischievous smile, her assistant replied, “A certain someone requested us to drop you here.”

“De? Who? I’m sorry, I wasn’t informed…”

“Who else, Yea Ji-ah? And of course you weren’t informed. It’s a surprise.” Her assistant excitedly explains.

Yea Ji, who just woke up from her nap, still didn’t understand. But of course she could only think of one person who could possibly be responsible for all this: Soo Hyun. 

“But why the office? Isn’t everyone home during this time?” 

“Exactly,” says her assistant with a wink. It was 8:40PM, and people went home at around 5PM.

She knew Soo Hyun was getting close with her staff, but she didn’t know they were _this_ close now.

“You know I don’t keep secrets from you, but I figured this would be an exception. C’mon, I’ll escort you up.”

Going up the elevator, she sends a text to Soo Hyun.

_Yeaji: Ya. What are you up to?_

_Soo Hyun: Come to the conference room and see_ _😊_

_-_

The assistant opens the office door for Yea Ji and bids good bye as Yea Ji enters the office. The lights were on but no one was there. She heads towards the conference room.

She goes inside and sees how the room was decorated with fairy lights. Her eyes light up as she sees a table setup near the glass window of the room – it was overlooking the city. The table had flowers, candles, and fancy plates and glasses.

Music suddenly plays and Soo Hyun comes out from one of the connecting rooms.

“Annyeong.” He says, giving his cheeky smile.

“Hi.” She replies, eyes delightfully scanning the room. “What’s all this?”

He approaches her, reaching for her bag and placing it on the nearest chair. “Hmmm. For us?” He smiles.

He then returns to her, putting his hands behind her waist.

“Our last day as Kang Tae and Munyeong. And… our first official _date_.” He says.

She feels her heart flutter at his words. _So he did remember._

A pout forms on her lips as she looks at Soo Hyun – eyes soft and full of emotions.

“It’s beautiful, Soo Hyun-ah.”

“So are you.” He says with a grin. “Sorry this was last minute. I couldn’t think of a safer place. We've been busy, but I’ve been waiting for this day, you know.”

Melting away any ounce of doubt and worry she had earlier today, she looks at Soo Hyun adoringly. But realizing that he had deceived her to pull this off, the tenderness in her eyes suddenly fades.

“Aish. So that “ _We should go home separately”_ was all an act? I really thought you forgot.” She complains, playfully hitting him on the chest.

Soo Hyun bursts out in laughter, loving the fact that she was actually waiting for this day too.

“I thought you wouldn’t mind. I guess you like me that much, hmm?”

Rolling her eyes and facing away, Soo Hyun slowly guides her chin back to face him.

“Yea ji-ah.”

“What?” She asks, trying to keep her sulking expression.

“Thank you for your gift.” He smiles. “What was that you said about my kiss?” hmm?”

Yea Ji’s eyes widen, remembering what she wrote. She said that thinking they wouldn't be seeing each other today.

“Ya.” Yea Ji tries to pull away from him, cheeks blushing in embarrassment.

But he pulled her closer. “Dozens of pudding combined was it?” He asks teasingly, entertainingly watching her shy away.

“That's quite a number.” He smiles, scanning the face he adored so much until she had no choice but to face him again.

Yea Ji sees his gaze shifting from her eyes to her lips. "You should know…” he whispers as he inches closer. 

"That I plan on re-confirming that statement.”

Yea Ji can't help but swallow the lump in her throat.

As he gets closer, Yea Ji becomes aware of her thudding heart.

With Soo Hyun’s lips just half an inch away from hers, she finds herself ready to surrender.

Except, she didn’t have the chance to.

“But not now.” Soo Hyun says, planting a kiss on her forehead instead.

Yea Ji hears him chuckle.

“There are cameras everywhere.” He grins, pointing at the 2 corners that had CCTV cameras.

He happily turns back to face Yea Ji and see her reaction when --

“YA!” Soo Hyun shouts in pain and surprise. He was suddenly greeted by a powerful force hitting his forehead. 

Yea Ji had flicked him.

With his hands comforting his forehead, Yea Ji breaks away from his hold and puts her hands on her hips.

“Ya. You’ve tricked me twice today. This isn’t the Soo Hyun that I agreed to date.”

Soo Hyun was startled, but amused. _That flick was impressively painful._

Playing along with her game, he replies, “Ya. I kissed your forehead and you flick mine?! This wasn’t the Yea Ji that I agreed to date too!” He says, returning her sulking expression.

But seeing his forehead going red, Yea Ji’s face softens. She purses her lips, feeling a bit guilty. _Okay, maybe I took it little bit too far._

“Soo Hyun-ah, ottoke? it’s turning red. Mianhe, mianhe.” She giggles as she approaches him and gently caresses his forehead.

With the initial pain fading, Soo Hyun just watches her, enjoying the feel of her hand on his face.

Finding each other’s eyes again, they smile.

He takes her hand and pulls her in a tight embrace. "Our first date and I already get flicked. Ms. Seo, you truly are one of a kind." He says, brushing her hair with his hands.

“You lie, I flick." Yea Ji explains. "But to be fair, that was a special flick. I used only one hand, just for you.” She giggles, burying her face on his chest.

She loved the feeling of being in his arms— Warm and safe, like home.

Soo Hyun chuckles, realizing that he’d take a few more flicks if it allowed them to stay this way a little bit longer.

She then looks up at him, giving him that eye smile he loved. "Mianhe." She says softly.

"Gwaenchana." He whispers, heart fluttering at his view. He still could not comprehend how one person could allow him to feel all these emotions at once.

“You don’t know how happy I am that I get to do all of this with you, Yea Ji-ah.” He says, tracing the outline of her face.

“Me too.” She says, mirroring the warmth in his eyes.

Letting out a deep breath, Soo Hyun slowly breaks away from their trance.

“Let’s eat?” He smiles.

Soo Hyun releases her as they walk over to the table he had set up. He pulls out a seat for Yea Ji before taking his own.

"Are you ready? Jajan!" Soo Hyun excitedly says, showing Yea Ji the food he had prepared. Yea Ji breaks into laughter as she sees menu they had for the night:

Contrary to the fancy setup, he had bought Subway sandwiches and Alvolo pizza -- Funnily enough, it was the quickest thing he could order along the way.

"I told you it was last minute." He chuckles. "I brought your favorite wine though." He says proudly.

"You are definitely one of a kind too, Mr. Kim." Yea ji laughs. "I love it."

-

Their conversation flows naturally as they pour out all the thoughts and emotions they had from their whole experience as partners -- on screen, and now, off screen.

Looking at the view of the city and back at Yea Ji, Soo Hyun could not help but feel sentimental with everything that was happening. He had planned most of his steps beforehand, but the best part came by surprise – her.

“I just realized… This was year was full of new beginnings for me. New agency, new drama, new relationships… And you were part of each one.” He says, chuckling at the thought.

Yea Ji smiles, nodding as she realizes it was the same for her too.

She lifts her wine glass. “To new beginnings.”

“To new beginnings.” Soo Hyun repeats.

They spend the night reminiscing scenes from the drama, commemorating the characters that brought them together.

While the night marked the end of Ko Munyeong and Moon Gang Tae, it was definitely the start of a new chapter for Yea Ji and Soo Hyun.

* * *

Due to the protocols demanded by the pandemic, and the floods that have been happening in Korea, the IOTNBO’s wrap-up party was changed into an impromptu dinner, which was scheduled a week after their last filming day. Since Yea Ji already had commitments during that day, and an early shoot the next day, she knew she was going to be tired, but promised to at least make an appearance during the dinner party. Who knew when she would have the chance to see everyone after all?

_< text message>_

_Soo Hyun: I’ll pick you up at the studio later?_

_Yea Ji: Soo Hyun-ah, I’m sorry. I think the shoot’s going to end later than expected. Go ahead, I’ll just follow. I promise._

_Soo Hyun: I miss you, Munyeongie._ _☹ But I’m proud of you. Always. See you later! Can’t wait!_

Yea Ji doesn’t respond to his last text anymore. The dinner started at 7PM, and it was 9:30PM when Yea Ji quietly entered the venue, where everyone immediately greeted her. Upon hearing her name, Soo Hyun’s eyes lit up and he turned around to check if it was really her. Everyone was gathered around her so he couldn’t see at first, but he heard a familiar voice.

“How are you?” He heard her say. _It was really her._

 _She’s finally here,_ he thought to himself.

He was initially disappointed that she didn’t inform him that she was near, because he could have met her outside. Though, he knew she was trying to keep their relationship as private as possible, she could have at least let him know that she was on her way.

But none of that mattered now because just like that, hearing the sound of her voice made him forget whatever negative feelings he had. 

Yea Ji greeted the staff and cast she came across with, hugging them and conversing with them. It was after a few minutes that she saw the face that she’s been waiting to see.

Soo Hyun was waiting to meet her eyes, waving his hand, gesturing that he saved her a seat. Yea Ji was happy to see that he was wearing the bucket hat she gave. He really knew how to make her heart flutter with the little things.

She waved at him, smiling from ear to ear, showing that eye smile that he adores. Soo Hyun couldn’t help but flash his goofy smile, his default response whenever he saw Yea Ji. Her smile was really something else—an instant serotonin boost for him.

Yea Ji’s projects had piled up after their filming, and they rarely had time to see each other. They didn’t even have the chance to meet each other at the agency that often because they had different schedules...

In short, he missed her a lot.

She saw that Soo Hyun was sitting with Jung Se and Director Park. She greeted them first before sitting beside Soo Hyun.

Taking a seat, she smiles at Soo Hyun as she squeezes his hand under the table. They order plates of meat, as the boys agree to have their second dinner. 

While Director Park and Jung Se were talking, Yea Ji slowly leans towards Soo Hyun.

“You look so handsome in that hat, who’s that from?” She whispers.

“My girlfriend.” Soo Hyun replies proudly, while grilling the meat. Slightly worried that he might have used the word too soon, he glances at Yea Ji.

He was happy to see her blushing.

 _Girlfriend._ Yea Ji smiles hearing the word.

-

After all the speeches, hugs, and picture-taking, it was 11PM when everyone said they’d be transferring to a KTV place.

“I don’t think I can come. I have to be at the studio by 6:30am tomorrow.” Yea Ji said. With travel time, and preparation time for hair and make up, she barely had 4 hours left to sleep. It was something she couldn’t postpone too because she had been re-scheduling a lot already.

“I'll take you home.” Soo Hyun insists. Yea Ji purses her lips. She didn’t want Soo Hyun to miss out on the fun because of her.

“Hmmm meet me at my car.” She whispers. Soo Hyun goes out first while Yea Ji says goodbye to everyone before leaving the room.

-

They're in Yea Ji's car when Soo Hyun says, “I'll drive you home then take a cab back to where they end up going. It’s my rest day tomorrow anyway.”

“I'm not letting you take a cab and you're not driving me. It’s our last day with the cast and crew.”

“But it’s our first week of dating. It was a bad idea waiting for the filming to finish. This is the least I've seen you!”

As Soo Hyun whines, he doesn't notice that Yea Ji was slowly moving closer towards him, suddenly surprised at how close their faces were.

She puts her hand on his neck, and presses her lips on his, gently and then aggressively. He is startled, but immediately kisses back, hand travelling up and down her arm, squeezing her shoulder, bringing their bodies closer.

Yea Ji wraps both of her hands around his nape, playing with his hair, and focusing on his lower lip. Playfully sucking it, she smiles as Soo Hyun softly moans in response, but just lets her.

She then pulls away, locking her eyes on his.

“I missed you too.” She says, hand on his cheek, wiping the smudge of lipstick on his lips with her thumb.

“I've been wanting to try that. I now see why you like biting the lower lip.” She continues.

“You mean I like biting _your_ lower lip.” He says, correcting her. “Now how am I supposed to let you go?”

“Hey. We’re dating now, remember? You'll be seeing me for a long time. You don’t know the next time you'll be seeing them. Go. I'll text you when I’m home.” She squeezes his hand.

He gazes at her, terribly wanting to spend time with her, though still in disbelief that they are actually dating. But knowing she was right and that she’d get her way, he lets outs a deep sigh.

Putting his hands on both her cheeks, he pulls her closer, and continuously pecks on her lips.

"You." Once.

"Are." Twice.

"Driving me." Thrice.

"Crazy." And one last deep kiss.

Looking into her eyes, he sees her smiling. “That’s to get me through the night.”

He kisses her forehead. “And that’s for you to get good sleep.” He says, pulling away.

She giggles. “I must say, I like it when you miss me, Mr. Kim.” Yea Ji says.

His jaws clenched at the sound of his name _,_ he loved it when she called him _Mr. Kim_.

“I can’t let you go if you keep teasing me like that, Ms. Seo.” Soo Hyun pretends to buckle his seat belt.

"Arasseo, arasseo. Go. Have fun." She says, putting the seatbelt back.

Soo Hyun grabs her hand, and kisses it, looks at her one last time and opens the car door.

"Good luck tomorrow. Update me. Drive safe!"

Soo Hyun watches Yea Ji drive away.

Now fully energized, he drinks the night away with the IOTNBO family, updating Yea Ji with pictures.

Yea Ji wakes up to random messages from Soo Hyun.

 _12AM. They’re not laughing at my jokes. I miss you even more._ _☹_

_1:30AM. Kidoong just threw up!!!!!!!!!_

_1:40AM. Negamanyaaaaaa. We’re all singing it now!_

_1:45AM. Just realized that was the day I told you I liked you._

_2:30AM. We all wish you were here. But me especially._

_3:40AM. I love you, Yeaji-ah._

_4:00AM. On my way home now. Good morning to you. Good luck on your photoshoot. Send me photos when you can!_

* * *

The next day, he decides to surprise Yea Ji by telling her staff that he’d be the one to bring her home. Not expecting the shoot to end so late, he ended up waiting for more than 2 hours. He chuckled, realizing the things he had to do just to see his girl. It was worth it though, good thing he had some shows he could watch on his phone while waiting.

When Yea Ji’s assistant had texted him that they were done, he drove towards the entrance of the building, seeing Yea Ji waiting by the door. Yea Ji was led by her assistant towards the space in front of them, where a certain car suddenly parked. She backed away because that was clearly not her van.

Soo Hyun, wearing a black ballcap and a black mask, opens the front seat window. “Good evening, Ms. Seo. I’ll be the one taking you home today.”

Surprised to see those familiar eyes and recognizing his voice, the first thing she tells him was “Close the window!”

She glances back at her assistant who just nods her head, smirking. With the excitement kicking in, she mouths “Kumawo” while waving goodbye and quickly enters the car.

She just stares at him. “How? Why?”

“I talked to your staff. And I’m your boyfriend, that’s why.” He says as he starts driving the car.

“You look beautiful by the way.” He adds, smiling at her.

She smiles in response, but it fades as she says, “But we ended late. Did you wait long?”

“Just a little bit. Okay, around 2 hours. Maybe more.” He couldn’t lie to her.

“You didn’t have to.” She says, feeling bad. He could have done a lot of other things already.

“I wanted to. I like getting to wait for you.” He assures her.

She plants a kiss on his cheek. “You’re so sweet, Mr. Kim.”

“Just wait 'til I’m not driving anymore. You left me hanging last night.”

Yea Ji giggles. “I like this.”

“Like what?”

“ _You_. The surprises. The kisses. The messages…”

“I like us. I’m happy with you.” She says in a rather serious tone.

“Why don’t you sound happy though?” He laughs.

Yea Ji bites her lip and takes a few seconds before responding. “Uhm, about your text last night…”

 _Oh_. He almost forgot about it.

“The text where I told you I loved you?” He asks, like it was the simplest thing to say.

“Yeaji-ah.” He says, turning to her as the car stopped in traffic. “Saranghae.” He says, placing his and on her knee.

Warmth radiated across his face. He really did love her.

“I know it shouldn’t have been through text. But I didn’t say that ‘cause I wanted you to say it back.” He explains.

“I love how when the time comes that you actually say it too, I know it’s the truth. I can trust that from you.” He gives a reassuring smile.

“Jinjja? Do you really mean it?” She asks.

“Yes. I told you, it’s been a while since I’ve made up my mind. I may have just needed a few shots to have the confidence to say it.” He lets out a chuckle.

“Kumawo, Soo Hyun-ah.” She smiles. “You know I dated guys before. But it didn’t feel like this… It feels different. You know what I’m saying?”

“I know.” He glances at her, takes her hand and kisses it.

“I told you, it’s different when it’s the two of us.”

She smiles at him. Yea Ji then notices him looking proudly at her Cartier ring.

“Do you like my ring? They said I could keep it.”

“I like it. It suits you.” He answers casually.

“I like the one who gave it.” She says, beaming at him with her puppy eyes, putting her hand in front of them, displaying her ring. “Kumawo.”

But suddenly shifting to a serious tone, she says, “But no extravagant gifts next time, arasseo?”

“Aish. I knew you would say that. That’s why I told them not to tell you.”

“You can’t expect my staff to keep things from me. Well aside from your surprise last week. That’s the first and last time.”

Soo Hyun chuckles. “It seemed like it was your favorite. I wanted to.”

Yea Ji stared proudly at her ring. If she loved it then, she definitely loved it even more now.

“Where are we going by the way?”

“I’m taking you home. You must be tired.”

It’s been so long since Yea Ji was in relationship that she forgot what it felt like to have someone that cared that much about her- It was their first time to actually be together since the filming ended, Soo Hyun had to wait more than 2 hours, and was fine with just bringing her home. She couldn't help but keep smiling at him. She had to admit, life’s been a lot better since he came around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the dating begins! What kind of moments do you imagine them having?
> 
> Credits to users sseureki and junghaesin on tumblr for the gifs :) I realized that I won't be able to use as much gifs from this chapter on since it's post IOTNBO now.


	8. Do you believe in destiny?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How could we cross paths and miss each other that much times?" Yea Ji asks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _Isn’t it just so pretty to think  
>  That all along there was some  
> Invisible string  
> tying you to me?_  
> -  
> Note: In this chapter, you will come across a link to a story. If you don't know the story yet, I encourage you to open the link and take a few mins to watch the video version of the story, since it's important to this chapter. It's just less than 5 minutes and you can also change the speed settings to make it faster, if you like. Thank you and enjoy :)

It was Soo Hyun’s first time going inside Yea Ji’s apartment. He had virtual tours when they had their video calls, but he never really had the chance to bring her home or visit her because of their shooting schedules, and well, because having dating rumors was the last thing they wanted. They wanted to keep their relationship as private as possible, as long as possible.

They figured it was safe now since they were using a different car, and they were working on partnering with a certain law firm to maintain their privacy. Also, it was Yea Ji who was able to keep her address private. One search on the internet would reveal where Soo Hyun lived, so that wasn’t an option for now.

When they entered her apartment, Yea Ji told Soo Hyun to make himself at home as she wanted to change and wash her face first.

Soo Hyun looked around her living room, which had pictures of Yea Ji’s family and her dogs. She also had some artworks of her face and her previous characters which Soo Hyun assumed to be from her fans. He was fascinated by the number of stitch-themed items she had proudly displayed on her shelf. _Kyeopta,_ he chuckles.

Moving towards the corner of the room, he saw her little reading corner. He knew she was a book lover, but he was surprised to see the collection of books she had. Scanning through the different book titles, there was something that caught his eye – a children’s story book. He looks through the pages, and stops at the last page. The first time he encountered the book, there was a little note behind it that he could not forget – it helped him during a complicated time in his life. He lets out a chuckle, finding it ridiculous how he was slightly expecting to see the same thing there.

The book was entitled _The Missing Piece Meets the Big O by Shel Silverstein_. It was a book close to his heart, and how he discovered this book was quite a story. He smiles, slightly amazed that the second time he encountered the book was through Yea Ji.

Yea Ji comes out of her room in shorts and an oversized knitted v-neck sweater. She had brought out her speaker and decided to put some music on, placing it on one of the shelves.

“I would offer you some clothes, but I don’t think I have anything you’d like.” She jokes as she approached the kitchen counter to prepare their plates. They had ordered chicken and beer for takeout.

Soo Hyun glanced at her and smiled. He loved seeing her dressed down-- no make up, natural hair, and in comfy clothes. He loved how he was in the position to see her like this – like he was part of her world now.

Smiling, he approached her, placing the book on the counter and hugging her from behind.

Arms wrapped around her chest, he whispers, “It’s okay, I’m comfy enough like this.” Inhaling her scent, he nuzzles his face on her neck, planting a kiss.

“Ms. Seo, have I told you how beautiful you are to me? Hmm?” He whispers in her ear.

Giggling, Yea Ji turns around to face him, placing her hands around his waist.

“You’re quite easy on the eyes too, Mr. Kim.” She says with her charming smile.

For Soo Hyun, everything about her was so attractive. But her voice, combined with those words… it was a deadly combination.

He slowly lets out a breath, trying to count to three.

1… He cups one of her cheeks, brushing his thumb on her face.

2... “I missed you.” He managed to say.

3… But there was no way he could resist the chance to meet her lips… And he does exactly that.

Pulling her in for a kiss, Yea Ji parted her lips almost instinctively, gently kissing him back. _She missed him too._

It was a tender kiss – slow, soft, expressive.

Both allowing their lips to speak the words they couldn’t say at the moment.

And then… it wasn’t.

This was a kiss of warmth and longing, but also… _freedom._

With no cameras, no necessary angles, and no staff watching, this kiss was truly _theirs._

And oh how they loved this newfound freedom.

With their tongues freely brushing against each other, Soo Hyun traps her against the kitchen counter, hands sliding towards her waist.

Pulling away for a few seconds, he lifts her up, still surprised at how light she is. Yea Ji gasps as he settles her on the counter.

Never breaking from her gaze, he flashes a smirk and brushes his lips on hers once again. Yea Ji puts her hands around his neck, running her fingers through his hair. She breathes him in as he explores every corner of her mouth.

If Soo Hyun left quite an impression on Yea Ji during the filming of Kang Tae and Munyeong's kissing scenes, he made sure to let her know just how much he was holding back.

Devouring her lips, Yea Ji softly moans, realizing that she had no reason to hold back now as well.

They realize that months of resisting was poured into this moment.

Soo Hyun starts planting kisses on her neck, allowing Yea Ji to catch her breath. She realizes how much she loved the feel of his lips on her skin.

Yea Ji closes her eyes and smiles, breathing heavily at the tingling sensation spreading throughout her body.

She wraps her legs around his waist, somewhat telling him not to stop.

Soo Hyun shifts his arm position to gain more balance, happy to comply with what his girl wanted.

But they are startled as they suddenly hear glass shattering on the floor.

It turns out, Soo Hyun had accidentally hit the book with his hand, causing it to slide towards one of the glass plates Yea Ji had brought out for their dinner, which had fallen on the floor.

Seeing what happened, they face each other with wide eyes and burst out in laughter.

“I think the universe is telling us to stop.” Yea Ji giggles.

Soo Hyun sighs jokingly. “Yeah, that might be a good idea. Sorry I broke your plate.” He lets out a guilty laugh.

He kisses her forehead and guides her down. “Where’s your broom? I’ll clean up.”

While they were cleaning up, Yea Ji sees the book and asks, “Soo Hyun-ah, why’d you bring this out? It’s a good book isn’t it?”

“De. I wanted to tell you about how I discovered this book. I was happy to see you had it. This book is very important to me.” He explains.

“It has a special place in my heart too. It’s actually my second copy, the first was given by a fan. How did you discover the book?”

 _Second copy?_ “Wait, what happened to the first?“ Soo Hyun asks.

“Oh. It’s in a coffee shop in Paju. It’s a funny story actually.”

Soo Hyun’s heart beats faster hearing the word Paju—the same place he first encountered the book.

“It’s a little café with a corner that they called their _letter library_. It’s quite amazing actually. They have books that—"

“Café Jeong?” He asks, turning to face her.

_No. Could it really be her?_

Startled at his urgency, she asks, “Wait you know that café?” She was almost sure it was not the type of place someone like Soo Hyun would be in.

“When? What year?” He proceeds asking, not answering her questions.

“Hmm… 2018. Around August?”

With widened eyes, he asks, “And you wrote a letter on the last page right?”

Her heart suddenly races as she says, “How’d you know, Soo Hyun-ah?”

He puts his hand on his mouth in disbelief, shaking his head.

“Yea Ji-ah… Do you believe in destiny?” he laughs as he manages to insert the line amidst being shocked. Among the many things he wanted to say, it was the first thing that left his mouth.

“Are you saying you found my book?” Yea Ji asks, trying to understand what he was saying.

Soo Hyun nods, staring into her equally astonished eyes.

He smiles in disbelief, amazed at his newfound revelation – the woman in front of her was the same woman who, unknowingly, helped him years back. He could not express how dumbfounded he was at that moment.

“But… How?” Yea Ji asks, feeling goosebumps throughout her body.

Throwing away the shattered plate, he says “C’mon, I’ll tell you while we eat.” He gets the food and plates, while Yea Ji carries the drinks, and they proceed towards the dining area.

Once they were settled, Soo Hyun started explaining.

“After my movie Real, which I worked really hard on, the negative feedback caused me to have a lot of questions in my head about who I was and what I wanted. Though I didn’t regret it, I just felt kind of… lost? I was nearing my 30s, and felt confused about a lot of things. So I was pretty thankful about my military enlistment as it helped me clear my mind – not having to think of my career for a while. But this book, it came at just the right time. And your letter, I read it on the day you wrote it. Yea Ji ah, I replied to your letter in that book.”

**_*flashback*_ **

Soo Hyun had a 2-day break from his military service, but since it was too short to pay his mom a visit, he decided to stay in Paju. Asking about recommended hostels and tourist spots from his seniors, he was amazed to know that there were a number of trusted places he could choose from. After all, it’s been a while since he had the chance to just spend the day alone, without having to follow a certain schedule.

Dressed as a civilian, he proceeded to one of the recommended hostels. But being informed that he still had 3 hours before he could check-in, he decided to roam around first.

He first went to an internet café to check on his emails and reconnect with family and friends. Of course, he also took this chance to get updates on his favorite girl groups and other current events. Realizing he had spent 2 hours there, he started looking around to find a place to eat. He was a looking for some place small where hopefully no one would recognize him. Walking around, he saw this somewhat hidden little coffee shop named Café Jeong. Seeing as it looked empty from the outside, he decided to go in.

He was surprised at how the space was larger than he expected. It had a rustic vibe and warm interior, with orange lights, brick walls and wooden floors. Aside from 2 middle aged men reading the newspaper, he was the only one there. _Perfect_ , he thought.

He proceeded towards the counter, wondering why there was no staff around. He sees a piece of paper on the counter that said “Bathroom break, I’ll be back.”

As he starts scanning the place around, he sees a bunch of shelves in the corner, which had a big sign on top that said “Letter Library.”

As the staff appears from the kitchen door and approaches the counter, he greets Soo Hyun.

“Annyeonghaseyo, welcome to Café Jeong.” It was a young boy, probably 14 or 15 years old.

"Annyeonghaseyo.” Soo Hyun responds with a smile. _Alright, so far so good. I think he’s too young to know me_. He didn’t mind running into people who knew him, but he hadn’t told anyone, including his manager, that they were on a break, so he didn’t want to get into any unnecessary trouble. Also, it was nice to be unrecognized.

“I just wanted to ask, what’s a Letter Library?” Soo Hyun says.

"Ahh, you’re not from here aren’t you?”

Soo Hyun nods shyly.

“The owner is a book lover. Some books are original, but many are secondhand. And through the years, customers have donated books as well to add to the collection.” He takes out a random book from behind the cash register and opens it. Soo Hyun saw scribbles at the side, and highlighted words.

“You can do anything with the books. Some encircle the words they love, highlight phrases they feel connected to, or leave notes in the margins. We’ve had to buy multiple copies of some popular books, cause it gets filled with notes from readers pretty quickly. But it’s called the Letter Library because a lot of people write more than just a note – they write whole letters and put them between the pages. Letters to the author, to the characters of the book, to their ex-lovers, to their current lovers, or even people they can’t reach. But mostly, people write to strangers who love the same books as them. And some stranger, at some point in time, writes back. Basically you can do anything. The only rule is: the books can't be bought or brought home."

“Wow.” _Interesting_ , he thought. He was excited to check it out.

“You can take a look around while I prepare your order, ahjussi.”

“Kamsahamnida” Soo Hyun says. He had ordered a tonkatsu rice bowl and iced coffee, and proceeded towards the Letter Library.

Scanning random books, what the young boy said was indeed true. From exchanged love notes, to journal-like entries, to unsent letters -- he was amazed at how much history and emotions these books held.

He spots multiple _The Fault In Our Stars_ books and realizes that this must have been one of the popular ones. Each book had different kinds of paper sticking out, with scribbled notes on almost every page. Some pages even had blotted words, like droplets of water had fallen on it. He realized it could have been tears from the readers.

He was in awe of the place. He loved how this was a safe place for people to be vulnerable. He was amazed to know that there was a hidden gem like this in Paju. What are the odds of him coming here? He wondered whether he was actually meant to find this cafe.

Seeing as he didn’t have much time to finish exploring one whole book, he decided to look for a short story, something he could finish in just one sitting. He came across a children's book entitled: _The Missing Piece Meets the Big O_. He brought it to his table.

As he opened the book, he was interrupted when his order arrived. A different person had served his food, it was a middle-aged woman— unbeknown to him, the owner of the café.

Seeing the book he was reading, she said, “Wow. So you’re the lucky guy. A woman gave that book to us just this morning. Probably half an hour ago? She was so sweet. And beautiful too. Your meal is on the house, along with a slice of cake I’ll be giving after this.” She places the food on his table.

“Free? Wae-yo?”

“The woman who gave that book paid for your meal beforehand. She told us to treat the first person who reads the book.”

“Oh, wow. Kamsahamnida. This is really unexpected.

“Consider it your lucky day. And don’t worry Actor Kim, we won’t disturb you. You’re safe here. But is it alright if I ask for your autograph before you go? My daughter’s a fan. His elder sister.” The lady says, flashing a smile, pointing to the teenage boy behind the counter.

“Oh, no problem. It’s the least I can do. Kamsahamnida!”

“Enjoy your meal. Here’s a pen in case you want to write something.” She says before leaving Soo Hyun.

_Wow. This day was full of surprises._

After taking a bite of his food, he started reading it.

[Read/Watch: The Missing Piece Meets the Big O here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af-jZUR3ua0)

After finishing the book, he just sat there, staring blankly. Amazed how a children's story had affected him so much.

Scanning through the book again, he saw a note at the last page:

_They say that coming home to yourself is the best feeling in the world. I feel like I haven’t been home in a while. I guess I have yet to find out how that feels like once again._

_To you who, like me, feels like a piece to a whole, here's to getting there someday._

_I don't know when that happens, but isn't it nice to know that nothing was ever missing in the first place?_

_For now, let's enjoy being a lost piece in this beautiful place, in this beautiful life. That just means we're a step closer to being whole, doesn't it?_

_Let’s keep lifting ourselves up until we’re rolling happily, arasseo? Fighting xx_

_A missing piece to a whole._ It had been the perfect way to describe how he was feeling all this time. He was like a missing piece finding his way in the film industry. Exploring different projects until finally, he had his big break, and everything went up from there. Everything felt _right._ At least, for a while.

He goes back to a certain page and reads:

_“I didn’t know you were going to grow. I’m looking for my missing piece, one that won’t increase.”_

He took out a pen and underlined this sentence in the book.

As he grew, and had earned quite a reputation, he felt more expectations and demands from people – those we could not meet no matter what he did. He felt that his responsibility as an actor was far greater than it was. It was overwhelming – he had gotten confused about the things that he actually wanted to do from what _others_ wanted him to do. The line between actor Soo Hyun and the real Soo Hyun was becoming blurry to him, and he didn’t like it.

 _A missing piece to a whole, trying to fit in places._ He repeats in his head.

Despite being deemed successful by others, he always felt there was something missing right after finishing a project. When he considered the movie Real, he thought maybe going outside his comfort zone was what he needed. But then, despite his hard work, it was received with much criticism. He felt disappointment from a lot of people. Though he knew what he had signed up for, and how he would not please everyone with that film, it did bother him. It felt like his hard work had been put to waste. And as he was entering his 30s, he questioned whether he had been making the right decisions for his life. Being in the military, it allowed him rest from all the pressure and noise. But still, he had to think about his next step.

He scans the book further and stops again at a certain page:

_“A missing piece cannot roll by itself.” Said the missing piece._

_“Have you ever tried?” Said the Big O._

He read these lines over and over again. Realizing that perhaps, it was also what he needed to do:

_To try rolling by himself._

Taking a deep breath, he chuckles at how his day was full of unexpected emotions because of this book. And it was all thanks to this woman, whom he just missed meeting by half an hour.

He then decided to reply to the woman’s note:

_To you who feels like a missing piece to a whole,_

_Apparently it’s only been 30mins. since you left this book. How crazy is that?_

_Please know that through this book, you have been my big O._

_I hope that by the time you read this, you are rolling happily wherever you are._

_Perhaps if our paths cross someday, we can roll alongside each other, not as 2 pieces, but as two wholes._

_I look forward to having the chance to thank you for my free meal today, and for introducing this book to me._

_KSH_

**_*end of flashback*_ **

Sipping their beers, they were still in disbelief at what they discovered.

“Wow. Are you serious?”

Soo Hyun slowly nods with widened eyes. “Why were you there anyway?”

“Paju is one of the places I go to when I want to unwind alone. And same with you, I was in quite a dilemma during that time. On whether acting was really for me.” She gives a small smile.

“I felt like the acting life chose me, not the other way around. I enjoyed it, but I didn’t know if it was good at it, or if I even _deserved_ it in the first place... That book was given to me by a fan and I cried while reading it. It has a way of reaching us, doesn’t it?”

He smiles, nodding. “So what made you stay? In acting?” He asks.

“I realized that I really did love our craft—acting, that is. It wasn’t a question of whether I was good or not, but whether I liked what I was doing and was willing to improve. And I loved being able to portray a person’s story, and the many challenges that came with it. But because I had these unnecessary expectations from myself, I was constantly trying to see where I fit in. Through this book, I realized, maybe I didn’t need to fit in? I just needed to be myself. That was more than enough..."

"So when I discovered that cafe while roaming around, I knew that I had to leave it there before I left Paju and decided to just buy another copy afterwards. It found its way to me when I needed it most, so I thought maybe it could be of help to another person too. I didn’t know it would be you.” She explained, smiling at him.

Soo Hyun just nods, letting out a deep breath. He tried to digest everything and connect the events in his head.

“Yeaji-ah. It was from that moment on that I slowly decided to push through with forming an agency with my cousin. And that book… that made me fall in love with the script of _Its Okay To Not Be Okay_. Children’s stories that mean so much more as we grow older… It was one of my favorite things about the drama...”

“Yea ji-ah. This means you’re my real-life Ko Munyeong.” He mumbles continuously.

They laugh as Soo Hyun said his last line, still amazed at what they unraveled.

“Wow. It’s true. My Munyeong, and now, my Big O. Yea Ji-ah, kumawo.” He said, slowly realizing Yea Ji’s role in a lot his life decisions.

It seems that life became a lot better for Soo Hyun too, with Yea Ji around.

 _Cheesy Soo Hyun was here again,_ Yea Ji thought. But as she was about to laugh, Yea Ji saw how his eyes were glistening. Tears were slowly starting to pool.

“Ya. Are you crying?” She asks, half concerned, half giggling.

Rather than responding, he laughs as he looks up, trying to stop his tears from falling. 

“Ya, Kim Soo Hyun. Gwaenchana?” She chuckles teasingly, seeing real tears trickle down his cheeks.

“Ya. Stop, or you’ll make me cry too.” And true enough she did.

They both giggle in between tears.

Soo Hyun stands up, takes her hand, and pulls her in an embrace.

Swaying in his arms, Yea Ji tightens her arms around him as tears start to fall from her eyes.

Perhaps it was the beer that made them emotional?

But the thought of them being connected all this time…

That they were never really alone…

That they were somehow with each other in the lowest time of their lives…

It struck them how they were already part of each other’s lives without knowing it.

Taking Yea Ji’s hands and guiding it around his shoulders, Soo Hyun positions his hands around her waist as they slowly sway to the music.

_< The song Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Iron and Wine was now playing>_

With Yea Ji looking up at Soo Hyun, they gaze at each other.

“I can’t believe it’s you.” Soo Hyun says.

Yea Ji smiles and leans in for a kiss, which Soo Hyun readily welcomes, and rests her head on his shoulder.

They stay like this for a while, allowing everything to sink in, enjoying each other's presence.

If they had appreciated each other's existence before, it was now overflowing. 

Suddenly realizing something, Yea Ji pulls away and says, “Soo Hyun-ah, how could we cross paths and miss each other that much times? What if we bumped into each other in Paju?”

“Hmm… I could have used your company, that’s for sure. Sorry I was half an hour late.” He says.

“Hmm… But come to think of it, maybe you weren’t late.” She says, as she wipes his damp cheeks with her thumbs.

“What do you mean?”

“Well yes, I felt alone that time, and I also wonder what it would have been like to have you around at that stage in my life. But maybe… we had to go through all those things alone?”

He continues listening to her, allowing her to go on.

“Maybe if we met during that time, it would change everything – maybe we wouldn’t like each other as much? Or maybe we'd like each other for the wrong reasons? Maybe... we wouldn’t be in the same drama, or agency? Maybe we wouldn’t be in each other’s lives, like how we are now...

It took us 6 years, but maybe that was what we needed? Maybe… you came right on time.”

“Hmm… I get what you mean. It’s like we were slowly pushed towards each other, and the universe kept saying _“Woops, you’re not ready to be with each other yet.”_ He laughs.

“Exactly!” Yea Ji laughs along with him. “Funny how it took us 6 years to be ready. And we really had to be in the same agency and star in the drama to actually pay attention to each other.”

“Well you caught my attention early on. But you’re right, we were lost pieces then. Maybe the universe waited ‘til we became _two wholes_ to meet each other again.” He says jokingly, eventually realizing that perhaps, it was true.

He cups her cheek. “When I said you help me more than you know, I didn’t know there was more to the story.” He slowly shakes his head, still in disbelief.

He slowly releases her and gets their cans of beer from the table. Handing Yea Ji her drink, he says,

“Cheers to the 6 years and everything that happened in between– to Petitzel, Paju, Gold Medalist, and IOTNBO. Cheers to us.”

“Cheers.” Yea ji says, giggling. They clank their cans together and drink their beers.

-

They spend the rest of the night seated in the living room couch, catching up on what happened since that day in Paju, exchanging kisses and cuddles in between.

The then missing pieces were now 2 wholes, and indeed, they have been happily rolling alongside each other since the moment they crossed paths again.

"You should know I have no plans of letting you go now. I really want to make this work, Yea Ji-ah." Soo Hyun says, pulling her closer.

Yea Ji smiles. "Good. Cause I have no plans of leaving." 

It may have taken them 6 years, but their little revelation had affirmed that they were at the right place and time, and with the right person.

Right now, it was just them in their own little world. The rest was just background noise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:  
> (1) Café Jeong was inspired by the “Jeong connection” which is a term unique to Korea, having no direct english translation. While it has many definitions when you search it, it basically means having an emotional connection with someone. One of the descriptions I love: “Think of that connection you feel when you meet someone for the first time and you can talk like old friends. That’s Jeong(/Jung).”  
> (2) The concept of letter library came from the book Words in the Deep Blue by Cathy Crowell.  
> (3) [You may already know this but] Paju is where KSH served his military duties, and in an interview, SYJ mentioned that Paju is one of the places she loves to go to when she has some free time.  
> (4) KSH said “you help me more than you know” in Chapter 2: Of Bridges and Sunsets, when he confessed. (But chapter 3 here on AO3)  
> -  
> When I found out about that little coincidence regarding Paju, it never left my mind. What are the odds? There are so many coincidences between these two that sometimes I think destiny really worked hard for them to meet again. I love thinking that somehow, maybe, they were connected all this time.
> 
> gif credits to user mufalo on tumblr! :)


	9. Discover me, discovering you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything has been going so good that Yea Ji forgot that they both had a past they knew nothing about.
> 
> “Yea Ji-ah, are you... jealous?” Soo Hyun asks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _What if it's us, and only us?  
>  And what came before  
> won't hurt anymore, or matter,  
> can we try that?  
> _

Yea Ji wakes up to the smell of food, and hearing the faint sound of upbeat music.

Opening her eyes, she realizes she's now lying on her bed in her room.

Confused, she walks out and discovers Soo Hyun cooking breakfast in the kitchen, dancing to the song Yes or Yes by Twice.

She pauses by the door and smiles, very much entertained by her view.

After letting him finish a verse, she walks towards him and hugs him from behind.

He acknowledges her arm but continues dancing, swaying from side to side.

Putting the spatula down and turning off the stove, he turns to face Yea Ji. Singing along to the music, he continues dancing, playing with her hands-- moving it up and down, forward and backward. Yea Ji dances along as he twirls her around and ends up wrapped in his arms.  
  
"Good morning." He says, planting a kiss on her forehead.

Yea Ji giggles _. It was a good morning indeed._

Soo Hyun releases her as he puts the food on the plates. He had made some egg rolls and prepared some side dishes. He walked over to his phone and turned off the music.

“I wanted to surprise you in bed. Breakfast is my specialty." He says, leading her to the dining table.

“Mmm looks so good.” Yea Ji says, smiling at her personal chef. _I could get used to this,_ she grins.  
  
"Soo Hyun-ah, where did you sleep? I thought I fell asleep on the couch with you." Yea Ji asks.  
  
"I carried you to your bed. You deserve a good night's rest after a long day. I slept on the couch." He assures her.  
  
"You seem to be carrying me a lot lately.” She says, teasingly. “You could have stayed on the bed with me, you know. I don't mind."  
  
"I mind." He says, smiling at her. “I like staying by your side. But not without your permission."  
  
"Okay, next time you’re here. Where you sleep, I sleep. Whether it's on the floor, couch..."  
  
"Next time. I like the sound of that." He says with a smirk on his face. "C’mon, Lets eat."

They take a seat beside each other.

Yea Ji looks at the food in front her with much excitement. It had been so long since she’s eaten a proper home-made breakfast.

With wide eyes, she gives a startled expression as she takes a bite of the egg roll.

“What? Does it taste weird?” Soo Hyun asks, not able to read her face.  
  
“No. It tastes great.” Yea Ji answers in a monotonous tone.

“Then why the face?” He asks, confused.  
  
Yea Ji, who was silently chewing her food, looks up at Soo Hyun, lets out a deep breath and says,

"How many women have you cooked this for?"  
  
Soo Hyun chuckles. “Oh. Are we having this conversation now?”  
  
“How many? I won’t get mad. I just want to know.” She says, fully confident that she was never the jealous type.  
  
“Okay… You're the second.” Soo Hyun answers quite sternly.  
  
Shifting positions in her seat, she responds. “Okay, who's the first?”

“hmmm…” He says, watching her suspicious eyes.  
  
“Eomma.” He answers with a wide smile. Clearly, he was enjoying this.  
  
“Aish. Tell me the truth. “  
  
“I am. I cooked my exes another dish.” He replies, pursing his lips.

 _My exes?!_ “Okay. I’m not eating this.” Yea Ji says and stands up.  
  
“Ya, you told me you won’t get mad!” Soo Hyun was now laughing, telling her to sit back down.

“It’s true. You’re the first aside from my mom.”  
  
“Honest?” She asks as she takes a seat again.  
  
“I am. I never had the time to learn how to cook. That’s why I just mastered how to cook eggs.” Soo Hyun assures her, trying to hold his laughter.

“Okay my turn to ask.” Soo Hyun says. “How many men have slept at your place?”

He looks at her with much curiosity, not sure if he could take the answer.  
  
“You're the first.” Yea Ji answers.

Soo Hyun gives a satisfied nod, until…

“I slept over at their's.” She adds, looking down at her plate.

Soo Hyun knew it was quite impossible for Yea Ji not to have relationships before him, but for some reason, it was hard for accept. But he had to let it go, because admittedly he had past relationships too.

Seeing his face, Yea Ji was excited to tell him that she was just kidding. Until…

“Oh… we’re the same then.” Soo Hyun utters.  
  
Wiping out the amusement from her face, she asks, “What?” Not expecting the turn of events.

“I had 4 ex girlfriends. I also went on occasional dates. I used to live with my mom, so it's usually me who went over to their place.”

A shocked Yea Ji was left speechless, just continuously blinking at the man in front of him. Oh how the tables have turned.

“But… Soo Hyun-ah, I was just kidding… I had 2 exes, but it didn’t last long. I went on dates with other guys, but… but… never to the point of bringing them over…” She stutters while explaining.

“What? Jinjja?”

“Yes. How about you? Was that true?”

“De. I was young and…”

“You’re _Kim Soo Hyun_. I understand. It would be weirder for you not to date, right?”

And she did understand. It was just hard to accept right at that moment.

“Yeaji-ah. It’s all in the past.” He says, trying not to laugh.  
  
“I know.” She was forcing herself to smile, trying not to seem so obvious about what she was feeling.

But she couldn’t help it.

“It’s just… I don’t feel like eating anymore.” She says, pushing her plate away from her.  
  
“Hey look at me.” Soo Hyun says, surprised to see this side of Yea Ji. She couldn’t look at him.

He chuckles as he cups her cheeks, slowly guiding her head to face him.

“Yea Ji-ah, are you... jealous?”

 _Me? Jealous?!_ “No… no of course not. “ She answers.

 _But this is something I haven’t felt before._ “Maybe…?”

“Aish, is this what it feels like? I don't like it.” She says, standing up.

Truly, it was her first time to feel this way. She loved Soo Hyun’s presence so much. She loved the fact that his touch and kisses were exclusive for her. She could not imagine him doing the same to another person, even though it happened years ago. Everything has been going so good at present, that she forgot they both had a past they knew nothing about.  
  
“Come here.” Soo Hyun says, chuckling as he grabs her hand.

Yea Ji faces him but refusing to go near. “I should have dated more. I'm at the losing end here. I don't have anyone from my past you can worry about.” She continuously mumbles.  
  
“I said come here.” Soo Hyun says, pulling her towards his lap.  
  
Giving her an amused smile, she looked at him with furrowed eyebrows, sulking.

“Hey.” He chuckles. “Seriously, I don't think you're at the losing end.” Soo Hyun says.  
  
“How I could I not be?”  
  
“You may not be my first, second, or even my third or fourth…” He starts explaining.  
  
“Okay, thanks for that.” She says, attempting to stand but could not. Soo Hyun was holding her firmly.  
  
“…BUT trust me when I say I don't think I've ever loved a person this much. This fast. This sure. I told you, it's different.” He says, looking her straight in the eyes.  
  
“How different?” She asks, blinking at him.

Clearly, she was testing him. One wrong answer and he was in trouble.

Soo Hyun knew what was happening, but he realizes that he was not worried in the slightest. When it came to her, he always had an answer.  
  
Showing her a sly smile, he says. “Hmm… Do you know how sexy you are to me? Hmm? Everything you do makes my heart race. Sometimes I feel it could just burst out of my chest anytime.” He says, putting her hand on his heart.

Startled, she feels it beating fast against her palm.  
  
Trying to hide a smile, she continues. “What else?”  
  
“Hmmm... Your voice. Your smile. Your touch. Your laugh. Do you have any idea how much I crave for your attention? Hmm?” He says, planting a kiss on her neck.  
  
Feeling the electricity run from her neck towards the rest of her body, she swallows the lump in her throat but tries to keep her emotionless expression. She wasn’t done. “Ani. How much?”  
  
“So much.” He says, now kissing her collar bone. “I want to let the world know how amazing you are. But at the same time, I also want to keep you to myself.” He says, cupping one of her cheeks.

“Just like this. Where it's only us.” He says, melting her with his tender eyes.

“Is that all?”

“I love you, Yea Ji-ah.” He says, face turning quite serious. “No one else. Believe me.” He gives an assuring smile.

She feels her heart flutter inside her chest.

Seeing that she was speechless, Soo Hyun took it as a sign that he had passed the test.

“So let's forget about the past hmm? It's really just you for me. Even the universe made sure of it. Remember? And I agree with it wholeheartedly.” He continues, brushing his thumb on her cheek.

Not able to resist any longer, Yea Ji’s face softens, turning into a pout.

“Are we good? Can you say something?” He says, now giggling.

Letting out a deep breath, she puts her hands around his neck, gazing into his eyes.

She is silent, but her eyes are now tender-- trying to say something.

Initially struggling to find the words to let him know how she feels, she now realizes what she wanted to say.

“I love you too.” She shyly whispers in her low voice.

“Mianhe...” she says, as she gives him a tight hug. “I’m new to this.”

Now it was Soo Hyun who was speechless. He had not expected her to say it back so soon. His heart was beating so fast, but he had to make sure he heard the right thing.

“I’m sorry, can you say that again?”

She giggles. “I love you.” She whispers, kissing his right cheek.

“I love you.” Then his left cheek.

“I love you.” Then the tip of his nose.

“I love you, Kim Soo Hyun.” She says, looking at him, before planting one on his lips.

She pulls away, watching him intently, smiling at his overwhelmed face. “I really do.”

He was frozen in place, but his eyes were following hers, not believing she was actually saying these words.

Gaining his senses back, he smiles as he shakes his head and inches towards her, giving her the kiss he failed to return.

She smiles against his lips.

And suddenly… the world fell away.

It started soft and contained, but slowly became infinitely more.

This was a different kiss… like they were getting to know each other on another—more intimate-- level. The kind that left little room for thought -- only leaving feelings of wanting more.

With his hands now very familiar with Yea Ji’s frame, it now seemed to have a mind of its own, travelling up and down.

Yea Ji feels his arms tighten around her as he stands and lifts her bridal style, carrying her towards the couch.

He doesn’t allow Yea Ji’s lips to escape his.

But seeing the direction that Soo Hyun was going, Yea Ji pulls away and whispers. “Hey, you’re going the wrong way.”

He pauses to look at her, startled.

Yea Ji nods _,_ giving him the consent, he was asking for.

They were breathless and unprepared, but their bodies were aching for more.

He locks his lips with hers once again as he walks towards her bedroom, fully knowing that it was the only language they needed at the moment.

Laying her on the bed, he crawls over her and just gazes at her face.

The face that he loved so much.

He realizes he has truly never wanted anyone like this… It was ridiculous how Yea Ji would feel even the slightest bit of jealousy.

“What are you doing to me, huh?” He manages to say.

Yea Ji giggles and pulls him in.

He happily yields, smiling against her lips.

So Yea Ji was surprised when he suddenly pulled away after a while.

She looks at him as he breaks contact. “What’s wrong?”

Breaths are mingling in the silence of the room.

He gives a good few seconds before replying, swallowing the invisible lump in his throat.

His eyes are genuine when he speaks.

“Yea Ji-ah. I can wait. You know that, right?”

She smiles. _Silly boy._

“I think 6 years is enough waiting, don't you think?”

-

They listen to each other’s breaths in silence, looking into each other’s eyes.

Yea Ji was surprised with her sudden courage, but did not regret it one bit. It seems that she discovered a lot more sides of her with Soo Hyun now in her life. Not that she was complaining. With Soo Hyun, it was different – but the good kind.  
  
"Hey." He says with warmest smile.  
  
"Hey." She replies, still trying to catch her breath.

"Are you in pain? Did I hurt you?” He asks.

She chuckles. “Soo Hyun-ah.”

“Hmm?” He replies, scanning her face.

“That was the best breakfast I’ve ever had.” She whispers in her deep voice.

And just like that, laughter fills the whole room.

“I'd be happy to _be..._ I mean to _make_ you breakfast for—"

“For?”

“The rest of our lives?” Soo Hyun jokes.

“Wow, that sounds like a long time, Mr. Kim.” Yea Ji teases.

He then leans on his elbow to face her. “Do you believe in that? Marriage?”

“Hmmm.“ She smiles, scanning his face. She was trying to figure out where this was going, but it seemed like he was just really curious about her thoughts.

“Yes and no. I believe in commitment which is symbolized by marriage… I've seen it with my sister and my parents. But… I grew up thinking that it should be the next step in adulthood. That at this age, I _should_ be married already. And I used to be pressured by that. But I learned that it shouldn’t have to be that way. I can get married if I want to, and I can choose not to. People who love each other can get married, and at the same time, they can choose not to. But it doesn’t make them less committed to each other. Do you get what I mean?” She says facing him.

Soo Hyun nods attentively.

“How about you?” Yea Ji asks.

“Same, sort of. I believe in love, and relationships. I believe in this, what we have…” He says, holding her hand. “But marriage? I guess… not so much. I mean two people can spend the rest of their lives just staying committed to each other, and it could be better than most married couples out there. I think marriage and weddings… its more for society's acceptance than for the couple themselves. Does that make sense to you?” Soo Hyun replies.

“Yes. And… I actually agree. It’s a choice. But now that we’re talking about, I just realized... aren't we part of society too? If there's something to make life easier and to be accepted by the people around us, why not? Especially if you're sure with your partner. I mean I'm not against it, but I don't want to do it with the wrong intentions.” She explains.

“I guess so. That make sense. Are we talking about marriage on our first week of dating?” Soo Hyun lets out a soft laugh.

“Has it really been just a week? It feels like it's been longer.” Yea Ji chuckles.

Soo Hyun shakes his head. “6 years in the making, I still can't believe it.”

“I know. How did we take that long?” Yea Ji asks, thinking out loud.

“I don't know. But you were worth the wait.” Soo Hyun says, brushing her hand with his thumb.

“You too.” Yea Ji smiles.

“Now that I think about it… I'd love to call you my wife.” Soo Hyun says, smiling at her. “But... Can I be honest? I guess... I think... I'm afraid.” He slowly whispers.

“Of what?” Yea Ji says, playing with his hand.

“Of making the same mistakes my father did?” Soo Hyun answers.

Yea Ji stops what she was doing and faces him.

“I remember how it affected my mom and me. I just can’t allow myself to hurt my loved ones like that. To hurt you like that.” He continues.

“Soo Hyun ah. We are not our parents... Remember, Moon Gang Tae? We can be different.”

Soo Hyun smiles at her. “Are you proposing to me right now?”

“You would be a lucky man if I did.” Yea Ji teases.

“Just so you know, if given the choice between letting you go or marrying you, I would marry you in a heartbeat.” Soo Hyun admits.

“Now who said anything about letting go? Hmm? We’re just getting started here.” Yea Ji says, wrapping her arms around his body.

“I'm just saying. I don’t want to you to be bothered that I think differently about marriage.”

“Surprisingly... I'm not bothered at all.” Yea Ji answers.

“Really?”

“De. Like what you always say to me… _I like that you're honest_. The last thing I want to happen is for us to be forced to do something we don't like. I guess, let's just cross the bridge when we get there?”

“We'll be crossing that bridge together, no matter what.” Soo Hyun assures her.

Yea Ji, suddenly remembering something, replies, “Didn’t you used to have a fear of bridges?”

“Real bridges, yes.” He laughs. “What about it?”

“But it got better, right?” She asks.

“It took some time, but yes it did.” Soo Hyun answers.

“We can be like that.” Yea slowly responds.

Not quite understanding what she meant, Soo Hyun asks, “What do you mean?”

“We can also get better with time… And figure things out along the way. Slowly but surely. Together. One step at a time.” Yea Ji responds.

“I believe in… us.” She continues.

Soo Hyun just stares at her disbelievingly. From yesterday’s revelation, to her warmth at this moment, he was constantly amazed by Yea Ji. Remembering what he said last night, he made a silent promise to do whatever it takes to make their relationship work. Letting her go was not an option to him anymore.

“Do you know how beautiful you are to me? Hmm?” He says, sincerely adoring the woman beside him.

“You seem to be using that line a lot lately.” Yea Ji chuckles.

“Cause I don't think you do.” He smiles, tracing the outline of her face.

“Hmmm… Enlighten me then.” She responds teasingly.

But just as Soo Hyun inches closer, he is cut off by the sound of Yea Ji’s phone ringing at the bedside table. Checking to see who it was, she sees it was Mr. Ryu. Yea Ji and puts a finger to her lips, telling Soo Hyun to keep quiet as she answers the phone, putting it on loudspeaker.

“Oppa? Annyeong.”  
  
“Yea Ji-ah. Good news, Cosmo's giving us the soft copy of your shoot today. It's scheduled for printing and sales next week. Your first magazine cover. Congratulations! Also, we received a very special offer from an unexpected company. I know it’s your rest day, but I was hoping to discuss it with you this afternoon. Can we meet at GM?”  
  
“Wow. De, Oppa, I’ll see you later. Kamsahamnida!”  
  
“Alright, great. Have you been in contact with Soo Hyun? He hasn't been answering. This isn’t like him.” Mr. Ryu responds.  
  
“Jinjja? I'll try reaching him after –"

She was interrupted by Soo Hyun yelling as he tripped on the floor. He was rushing out to get his phone when he heard his name and tripped on the clothes on the floor.

Yea Ji glares at him and Soo Hyun guiltily covers his mouth.

“Yea Ji-ah… That was Soo Hyun wasn't it? My hunch was right then. He always answers my calls. I'll trust you'll both be here later?”  
  
“De!” They both answer.

Once Yea Ji had put down her phone, Soo Hyun walks towards her.

“Your first magazine cover, I am so proud of you!” He says, gesturing to pull her in a hug.

Yea Ji did not doubt his words, but she knew exactly what he was doing. “Ya, you had one job during that phone call!” She says, patting his arms away.

He holds her hand instead and says, “Remember what you told me last night? You said you had no plans on leaving me. You can’t take that back.”

“I’m not leaving, I’ll just do this.” She replies, attempting to flick him.

Soo Hyun backs away and shields his face with his hands as a reflex. “Okay, okay. Sorry, Miss Cosmo.”

He chuckles. “I really am proud of you.”

Yea Ji playfully glares at him as he pulls her into a tight embrace. “I love you.” He says.

She lets out a deep breath, fully knowing that she’s not able to resist this man. “I love you too.” She whispers, smiling against his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the holidays! 
> 
> Credits to tumblr user sseureki for the gifs :)


	10. Own Little World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the end of IOTNBO, each day was an adventure of discreetly getting to hold each other’s hand, literally and figuratively.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Dreams they're for those who sleep  
>  Life is for us to keep  
> And if I chose the one I'd like  
> To help me through  
> I'd like to make it with you_

At GM, they were discussing their project offers. A lot of projects had lined up for Yea Ji and Soo Hyun. However, they had a deal: first 2 months will be focused on Yea Ji’s CFs, next few months would be focused on Soo Hyun.

Soo Hyun, during the first months, focused on personal matters and made the most of his time to rest. Part of his rest was also being the supportive boyfriend he was. Despite being frustrated by the limited time they had to be with each other because of Yea Ji’s schedule, he loved watching South Korea fall for Yea Ji. While he wanted to shout to the world how proud he was, he knew he had to keep it lowkey, hence having to find other means to do express how he felt.

That’s why when her commercials were released one by one, he could not contain his happiness and had an idea on how he could secretly convey how proud he was. It was a risk, he admitted, but who would know anyway?

When Yea Ji's Luna CF was released, he posted a [picture](https://www.instagram.com/p/CEUL8TAAxTE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) on his instagram. It had no caption,but the photo was taken on a special day -- the day he told her he liked her.

When her Buil Film Awards nomination was announced, he was so proud, he couldn’t help but post another [photo.](https://www.instagram.com/p/CEjhJs0AO95/?) " _People don’t know this, but we were together here watching the sunset. I’m proud of you."_ was what he wanted to say.

His next [post](https://www.instagram.com/p/CEtD3IsAFZg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) was when her Chloe CF was released. It was... _"_ _One of the happiest days of my life --the day you told me you'd date me."_

Yea Ji, on the other hand, who would always be updated by her staff whenever Soo Hyun’s posts, even while she was in the middle of filming her CFs, could not help but be amused while working because she knew what Soo Hyun was doing. It wasn’t because she asked to be updated, but since he always posted when she had newly released content, they both would have articles on naver at the same time. She brought it up with Soo Hyun, which is why it only lasted for a short while.

While they had to make a lot of adjustments to make sure they were safe from rumors, they liked the feeling of keeping their relationship to themselves for now. Just them in their own little world, not having to explain themselves to anyone. Each day was an adventure of discreetly getting to hold each other’s hand, literally and figuratively, as they went on their individual paths as artists. With the different partnerships they were able to have, they loved being able to witness and support each other take on different kinds of commercial films and projects…

One’s success was also the other’s.

They celebrated each other. They understood each other. They trusted each other… They were happy. And while some friends said they were in the honeymoon stage, they were also excited to experience whatever other stages were coming their way… They were both determined to make it work.

* * *

**October 2020**

Spending time at Yea Ji’s before she had to fly to Busan, Yea Ji showed Soo Hyun pictures of the gown she was going to wear at the Buil Film Awards 2020.

“Yea Ji-ah, you have got to be kidding me.” His face was serious.

“What’s the matter? You don’t like it?”

He lets out deep sigh. He didn’t want to be the controlling type of boyfriend, but he couldn’t help but feel concerned, especially that he wasn’t going to be there with her.

“Remember how I couldn’t get close to you during our poster shoot? I feel the exact same thing except 1000x more.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“You are going to make everyone’s jaws drop. Including mine. I just can’t help but feel a bit protective. You made sure it was just the perfect fit right?”

“De. It was my favorite one from the sponsors. I was honored the designer contacted GM. It’s my first time to personally receive an award after all, I wanted it to be special. Different. Especially for my fans.”

“You will never not be special, nor different. Trust me.” 

She chuckles. “I wish you could come with me.”

“Me too.” He replies, playing with her hand. “But I’ll be watching. I’m proud of you.”

He couldn’t come because aside from the fact that he had multiple meetings the next day for his upcoming CFs, it wasn’t really an option for them as they didn’t want to spark any rumors. He had to be content with watching her from afar, fully confident that their manager would be taking care of her like he had been taking care of him.

On the day of the award show, the whole GM was watching the livestream on their office television. When Yea Ji stepped out of the car and appeared on their screens, they were screaming and clapping. Beautiful was an understatement for how she looked like – she was mesmerizing! They were fully aware that not just anyone could pull off the gown she chose, and she pulled it off so effortlessly. But aside from that, they were so happy as it was Yea Ji’s first time to personally receive an award. Her success was something they were happy to witness – especially Soo Hyun. However, minutes after the red carpet, Soo Hyun was seen rushing out of the office.

After the ceremony was done, Yea Ji was back in her hotel room. While she was happy to receive her award, she could not help but replay the malfunction that happened earlier.

 _What’s done is done,_ she says to herself.

 _Manager Ryu said he’d take care of it, I shouldn’t worry anymore. This should be a good day._ She nods, convincing herself to move on.

_But why did it have to happen?_

Changing her clothes and laying on her bed, she heard her phone ring. It was Soo Hyun.

“Soo Hyun-aaah” She says in a dismayed tone.

“Hey! Finally you’re picking up. How are you?”

“I just got back in my hotel room. 10 missed calls, huh? What is that bad?”

He chuckles. “Hey, I think I asked you first. Yeaji-ah, how are you feeling?”

“Hmm… I’m okay. It’s just funny… My first award just had to this memorable, huh?” She laughs.

“Yea Ji-ah. You were stunning, I think people barely noticed.”

“Aigoo. What a boyfriend thing to say.” She smiles.

“I’m serious. This kind of stuff happens. And the team is working on it.”

“I know, I know. It’s just… I could use one of your hugs right now.” She says.

“Well perfect. Cause I’m right outside. Open the door.”

“Jinjja?”

And true enough, he was there when she opened it. She pulled him in, worried that people might see him.

“Ya, what are you doing here?” She asks in surprise.

Soo Hyun flashes a smirk. “What the girlfriend wants, the girlfriend gets.”

With her shocked face turning into a pout, she hugs him tight. Being in his arms, everything else felt irrelevant. She was in her safe space. “I can’t believe you’re here.” She says, burying her face in his chest.

Soo Hyun giggles. “You did well today. Congratulations, Miss Popular Star.” He says, stroking her hair.

But realizing something, she pulls away. “So it’s _that_ bad that you actually went all the way here?!”

He laughs in response. “No, actually it isn’t. Honest. But it could have been. I was just… worried.”

“I know. But how… why are you here? Not that I’m complaining, but I know you have full schedule too.”

“Mr. Ryu isn’t the happiest since it wasn’t in the plan, and I can’t stay long…”

“I love you. Kumawo.” She says, hugging him once again.

“I love you more. You know that.” He says, giving an assuring smile. “I just wanted to check on you and make sure that you weren’t beating yourself up. I’m glad you’re okay. You were so beautiful, Yea Ji-ah. Believe me.”

She could not help but look up and stare at the man in front of her.

“What?” He asks.

“How did I get so lucky with you? Hmm?” She asks. “Thank you for being here. I appreciate it a lot.”

Soo Hyun gives her a peck on the lips, which Yea Ji welcomes. The 4-hour land trip and the speech from Mr. Ryu was surely worth it.

“And thanks for not telling me _I told you so_. I would have flicked you right there and then.”

“Don’t worry. I didn’t rush over here to get flicked.” He says, laughing.

“Do you have time for dinner?” Yea Ji asks.

“Yes please. I’m starving.”

They ordered room service. While eating, Soo Hyun showed Yea Ji what their staff found online – aside from good articles about Yea Ji’s appearance in Buil, they were amused by the edits that some fans made – photos of Yea Ji being covered with different types of jackets. While it could have been seen in a different light, Yea Ji understood that it was their way of lightening up the atmosphere. Truly, it was an appropriate representation of how she was feeling at the moment -- It was winter, and it wasn’t the best day, but with Soo Hyun with her, GM protecting her, and her fans supporting her, she felt… warm. So warm.

Going back to Seoul, Soo Hyun kept thinking about what he had just done – he cancelled his evening commitments and took a 4-hour drive to Busan, spent 3 hours with Yea Ji, then immediately returned to Seoul, just in time to have an hour nap and prepare for his first appointment of the day.

Once Soo Hyun realized what had happened during the red carpet, he rushed immediately from the office, taking his personal vehicle, without any security. With Mr. Ryu learning about this from the staff, he was frustrated at Soo Hyun, and the fact that he was too busy contacting journalists to take down footage from Buil to give Soo Hyun a proper scolding. So he just asked the company driver and security to proceed to Busan, so that Soo Hyun could be properly escorted back to Seoul. It was when Soo Hyun arrived at the hotel that Mr. Ryu oriented him about the possible consequences of what he had done – he cancelled 2 appointments that had been planned months ahead, he ditched security which he was required to have when going in public, he was going on a long drive without any staff to assist him which could lead to fans spotting him, and he was going to the hotel where Yea Ji was staying at, putting them both at risk… Mr. Ryu described his actions to be surprising and "unprofessional", and something that he didn’t want to happen again. Anything that had to do with changing appointments or unplanned meetings with Yea Ji had to go through Mr. Ryu first – it was for their own safety and benefit. It seems that Soo Hyun forgot all about this when he chose to go to Busan on a whim.

For someone who had most of his life planned, this was something new to Soo Hyun— suddenly changing his schedule, and breaking the rules of the agency just to be there for Yea Ji. It was then that he wondered what it would be like to be able to plan their schedules together… to be together by default, and separated only when necessary… to not have to worry about any rumors…

He wondered what it would be like to officially be able to take care of her and actually go home to her. His heart raced at the thought.

* * *

**November 2020**

Kim Soo Hyun and Seo Yea Ji confirmed to attend the Asia Artist Awards 2020. They had been informed of winning an award, which they were excited about. Ever since presenting at Baeksang 2020, it was their first time to be together at a formal event again. As they prepared for the event separately, they also arrived separately.

Seeing Yea Ji step out of the car just while lining up for the red carpet, his eyes followed her until she met his gaze. Almost instinctively, she flashed that eye smile that he absolutely loved as she walked towards him. Greeting other artists and staff she met along the way, she was fully aware that his eyes never left her.

He felt his heart skip a beat as she got closer. His _girlfriend_ in a beautiful _white gown_ – what a sight it was. It left a lot to the imagination.

“Hi.” He managed to say with a dorky smile.

“Hi.” Yea Ji giggles, eyes sparkling at his seemingly speechless face.

“Next, Kim Soo Hyun.” They heard the host announce.

“I’ll meet you in our table.” He said. Yea Ji nodded as she watched her man walk the red carpet. He was back in his element. How she loved being able to witness him return to the spotlight.

Winning an award together made it even more special – they could not help but feel giddy as their names were called together to receive the Hot Issue Award. Even with just 2-second glance at each other on stage, they could tell what each one wanted to say… “I’m proud of you.”

They truly were.

However, it was a surprise that they each won another award.

Yea Ji received her first acting award. They were ecstatic. Soo Hyun knew she deserved every bit of recognition she was getting for the hard work she did for the role of Munyeong. Smiling from ear-to-ear, he was standing up clapping as Yea Ji stood up hearing her name. “Congratulations” he says loud enough for her to hear. She looked at him, took a deep breath, and gave him a soft smile before walking towards the stage. To be surprised with an award like this was overwhelming for Yea Ji that going on stage made her nervous. But with Soo Hyun beside her, it allowed her the composure she needed to have a clear mind as she proceeded towards the stage. As always, his presence drowned out the noise for her, and she could not help but give it a special mention in her speech.

_“First of all, to director Park Shin Woo, who made Psycho But It’s Okay with all his heart and soul, making it a good drama, author Jo Young who made the beautiful script, all the staff and actors, thank you so much. Living as an emotionless zombie, I’d like to thank Moon Kang Tae for letting what warmth, emotion, and love is. Above all, I give this honor to Moon Kang Tae...”_

Soo Hyun’s heart melted backstage. At this point, he was thankful for the kind of set up they had – no audience, and no fan cams. He knew he would not be able to control his facial expression with what she said. She was always so vocal of how grateful she was towards him. It was one of the things that he could not quite get used to because he still got overwhelmed, but if anything, it was something that he admired about her. Her success felt like his success. He was over the moon for her award.

So when it was announced that Soo Hyun won his 5th Daesang, Yea Ji stood up and could not help but give him a hug. It took some time before Soo Hyun moved, because he didn’t expect both the award and the embrace.

“I’m so proud of you.” She whispered in his ear.

She knew the challenges Soo Hyun had as Kang Tae. How he portrayed his role, and his whole presence and energy in the whole filming process was certainly a great contributor to the success of the drama. Aside from being his girlfriend, she was his #1 fan as well and she was beyond proud to be there as Soo Hyun received a grand award on his first award show since he came back to the small screen. It was a happy night for the both of them. One that both of them would remember for a long time.

Doing It’s Okay To Not be Okay meant a lot to them personally, that being awarded for their hard work was truly surreal – the perfect icing on the cupcake. It was a project close to their hearts, but also… it was the project that brought them together and allowed them to unravel the magic they could do as partners. Truly experiencing all of these together was a gift.

* * *

**December 2020**

It was December 25 when they drove to Soo Hyun's provincial rest house. It was their first Christmas together, and Yea Ji was introduced to Soo Hyun’s mother. They got close pretty quickly too. 

Once they arrived, they had their greetings and, Soo Hyun went back to the car to get their things. While Yea Ji volunteered to help, he insisted that he do it alone since he knew how excited his mom was to meet her.

“Eomeoni, now I know where Soo Hyun got his good looks.” Yea Ji says, amazed at how similar they looked.

“Oh, you make me blush. But you’re even prettier in person, Yea Ji-ah. How did my Soo Hyun ever manage to get you as his girlfriend?”

“Hmmm.” Yea Ji laughs. “He's different from others… He stands out with his bad jokes.”

They both burst in laughter. “Aish. He got that from his dad’s side. I didn’t know it would come useful.”

“He's also sweet. And honest.” Yea Ji smiles. “It’s refreshing.”

“Honest, you say? Did he tell you it's the first time he introduced his girlfriend to me?”

“Really?”

“Yes. I knew he dated before, but whenever I would ask to meet them, he'd always make up an excuse. So I was surprised that this time, he was the one who asked me. He’s been telling me about you ever since.”

“I didn’t know that…” Yea Ji replied. She truly had no idea, which made her heart flutter.

“My Soo Hyun is the sweetest, but I feel like my relationship with his dad deeply affected him. He'd say that he didn't need any woman, that he wouldn’t leave me, like his dad did. But I always tell him that it’s not his responsibility to take care of me. I can take care of myself. Please assure him that.” She says while patting Yea Ji’s hand.

“De.” Yea Ji nods as Soo Hyun’s mother stands up gets something from the shelf – photo albums of baby Soo Hyun. She shows her some of their photos together when he was little.

“You see, it’s just me and him ever since. Acting was his outlet, but also his past time. I often had to leave him with his aunt, or our neighbor as I had to work. He found happiness in acting, and he surprised me in every project… I'm very proud of him, but I was always concerned about his life outside work too. I’m happy to know that he has you now.” She smiles at Yea Ji.

Soo Hyun suddenly enters carrying all their bags, happy to see them both smiling as they were conversing. “Wow I see you two are getting along well.”

“She was showing me some of your baby pictures.” Yea Ji says excitedly.

Soo Hyun flashes a face of concern. “Was it one of the cute ones or should I give her a scolding?”

“Ya, I won’t drive my future daughter-in-law with your awkward photos. Have some trust in your own mom.”

His eyes widen at the term. “You’re scaring her away by calling her your daughter-in-law.”

“I know you introduced her to me for a reason, am I wrong?” His mother teases.

“It’s fine.” Yea Ji assures them, laughing.

“See, she says it’s fine. Now come, let’s eat.” His mother says, leading them to the dining area.

-

After exchanging gifts, Yea Ji was led to the guest room, where she would be sleeping in. Soo Hyun helped her settle her things.

“Your mom’s very sweet. She’s so easy to talk to.” She says, placing her bag on a chair.

“That’s cause she’s so happy to meet you. Sorry if she said anything awkward. I guess she was too excited.” Soo Hyun said, taking out some blankets from the closet.

“She said it was your first time introducing a girlfriend. Was it true?” Yea Ji asked.

“De.” He answered, sitting on the bed.

“I didn’t expect that.” She said, sitting beside him.

“Me too.”

“You too?” She chuckled.

“I didn’t expect I’d want you to meet her this quick. But it felt like it was time.” He says, smiling. “This is us. My whole family. Just me and her.”

Yea Ji smiles. She liked how close they were. “What do you usually do on Christmas?”

“Hmm… Before, nothing. She'd have to work, so I'd be staying at my aunt's with my cousins. But ever since I was earning enough, I told her to stop working. And she'd be with us. That was probably my favorite Christmas, the first Christmas eve and full Christmas day I got to spend with her. But now... I think this Christmas might be my new favorite.” He says, flashing a grin.

Yea Ji could not help but smile back. She loved this man, but truly, there was more to him than she knew. She loved being able to get to know him more.

“She told me something you know… To assure you that she can take care of herself.”

Soo Hyun laughs. “It sounds like she already wants to kick me out, huh.”

“No one’s getting kicked out, and no one's taking you away. If anything... I'm just… an additional member.” She says.

He smiles. “Look at you speaking like a daughter-in-law.”

“Why? Is that a bad thing?” She teases.

He takes her hand before looking her in the eyes. “No, I Iike it. Very much.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in marriage, hmm?” She asks, semi-joking.

“Well you make me question my beliefs.” He responds with a grin.

They hear a knock from the door, and Soo Hyun stands up to open it.

“Do you guys need anything else?”

“No, I think she has everything she needs. Thanks, Eomma.”

“You know, I don’t mind you both staying in the same room.” She whispers to Soo Hyun.

“Eomma.” Soo Hyun laughs. “It’s fine.”

“Oh well, up to you. Good night, Yea Ji-ah.” She says.

“Good night Eomeoni! Gamsahmanida.” Yea Ji replies with a smile.

Once Soo Hyun closed the door, he says, “Eomma said we can sleep in the same room, what do you think?” He was laughing.

“Jinjja? I don’t think that’s a good idea...” Yea Ji replies. Of course, she also wanted to put her best foot forward in front of Soo Hyun's mother.

“Agree. I might not be able to sleep if we do.”

Her eyes are wide as she says, “Ya. Lower your voice.” Yea Ji laughs.

Soo Hyun sits beside her again and cups her face with both hands. “I’m so happy you’re here. Thank you for coming home with me.”

“Thank you for inviting me. I’m happy to be here.” She smiles.

They decided to call it a night early, fully knowing they would need all the sleep they can get for the long day they had tomorrow. After chatting a bit, they said their good nights as they slept in their separate rooms.

-

“We're almost there.”

They decided to celebrate their first Christmas together by taking a hike in the mountains. It was what Soo Hyun usually did when he had a long break, and he was excited to bring Yea Ji to his happy place, also remembering Yea Ji’s stories of hiking with her family when she was young.

They woke up at 3:30 AM so they could catch the sunrise, had a short drive, and started their hike a bit past 4. It was new experience for them – being in the mountains, just the two of them, exchanging moments and stories that only they could hear. They loved every bit of it.

“Wow.” Yea Ji says, as they saw the sun peaking when they reached the top. They find a spot to sit down. Soo Hyun takes out a tumbler and 2 cups from his bag. He brought hot chocolate. It was a perfect morning.

As they settled, they could not take their eyes off the view. Being high in the mountains, they felt closer to the sky. It was beautiful.

“Soo Hyun-ah, what was your childhood dream?” Yea Ji suddenly asks.

“To be an actor.”

Yea Ji laughs realizing she had asked an obvious question.

“Let me rephrase my question. How does it feel to be what you dreamed?”

“Hmm… Surreal. I had never imagined I would be where I am now. But at the same time, I worked hard for it. I remember claiming to people that in 10 years I would be a trustworthy actor. And I dedicated my life to that. I'm thankful I get to explore life through acting. It's a different experience every time.” He smiles. “What about you? What was your dream?”

“You know, the more I learn about you, the more I realize how different we are. I didn't dream to be an actor. In fact, I didn't know what my dream was. I just went with what life had to offer and did my best. Spain was a surprise. Acting, too, was a surprise. I guess my dream was to explore life fully and live it without regrets.”

“And how’s it going so far?” He asked.

“It’s been good.” She laughs. “I’m here with you, aren’t I? You were a surprise too.” She faces him, giving a sweet smile.

“I don’t think we’re too different. At least, now.”

“What do you mean?”

“ I guess I just learned it later in life that these big dreams… they’re not everything. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to dream… addicting even. I have so many of them. But it should not _define_ our existence. I mean... I used to live for my dreams. But I learned that I can dream... as I live.” He laughs. “Do I make sense?”

“Hmmm… what’s the difference?”

“I used to live for my dreams. There was a time that I had everything planned for the goals that I had, and if I didn’t reach it, or if something changed… it would frustrate me. I kept focusing on the future… that I wasn’t able to celebrate my small victories--being able to do a certain stunt, being able to portray a certain emotion, being able to have a good time with the rest of the cast and staff... It seemed that I missed out on appreciating the present, which is why I felt somewhat lost or just… unsatisfied with my life. Slowly, I realized that the small steps of courage, the everyday battles conquered, and the little things that make us happy… these are what allow us to, as you said, _live life without regrets_. I could dream… as I live. Actually reaching the dream would just be a bonus, and being redirected to a new one won’t matter as much because at the end of the day, you know you did your best. And that’s more than enough.”

“It’s the journey, not the destination.” She says, looking at him with admiration. These were cliché words, but she knew it took a lot for a person to actually believe it.

“Exactly. If you put your worth in the destination… you won’t enjoy the journey as much, which is supposedly, the best part.”

“And you know... I learned that dreams can change.” He pauses to let out chuckle. “For example, I never imagined that sharing these little moments with someone would also become a dream of mine. Until I met _you_.”

“Wow. Look at you smooth talk like that.” She teases.

“It’s true. You see, you can never plan on meeting the right person, I guess that’s why I didn’t want it. Or at least, that’s what I thought. But I realized, the best moments… they become a hundred times happier when we have someone to share it with. Working in the same drama with you… It felt like everyday was the best.” He chuckled.

She nods. “I agree. Not just with filming… but being with you made me love _life_ even more. It’s nice.” She says, giving a shy smile.

He smiles back at her. The kind of smile that assured her that he wholeheartedly felt the same. He loved how they were both so open about these things. And the way she always managed to make his heart flutter with her genuine words ever since their first meeting. He wondered what their relationship would be like a few years from now.

“Yea Ji-ah, how about 5 years from now... What do you want to happen?” He asks.

“Hmm… More memorable projects, I guess? This year has been the best surprise, but I want to keep challenging myself. I just want to learn more about myself and what I can do with what I have. So I guess… more characters to portray through films and dramas? More brands to represent. More places to visit. I think I also want to explore on writing, or do more voice overs. I have a lot I want to do. How about you?”

“Hmmm... I guess to explore more genres… to expand the agency, maybe to join workshops on directing? It has been an interest of mine. And I don’t know.. to be… your husband... perhaps?” Soo Hyun says slowly, as if it had been weird for him to say out loud. He lets out a nervous laugh.

Yea Ji looks at him, surprised. She was trying to read his face, not sure if this was one of his jokes. But then he continued speaking…

“This... Starting and ending the day with you... I want that everyday.” Soo Hyun says facing her, showing a shy smile.

“Wow. Is that a proposal?” Leave it to Yea Ji to really just say what she was thinking. She honestly had no idea what was happening. The last time they talked about it, Soo Hyun was quite honest about disliking the thought of marriage. Also, it wasn't something Yea Ji considered at the moment. With all the projects she's been getting, there were truly a lot of things she wanted to explore and do for herself first.

“Not yet.” He chuckles. “It’s… a promise. I'm just letting you know… I'm ready to cross the bridge when you are.”

“Jinjja? As in, the bridge of... _marriage_? Ceremony and all that? You're ready? But... How?” She asks, clearly startled by his sudden confession.

“When I saw you getting along with my mom… I realized I had nothing more to ask for.” He explains in quite a serious tone.

“It meant so much when you said that you weren’t taking me away from her. I realized that marrying you means I show my commitment to you and respectfully ask to join your family. And I want that.” He slowly continues, like he was still gathering his thoughts. “I really do.”

Yea Ji turns to him with a soft expression. She was truly overwhelmed by the sincerity of his words that tears were starting to pool in her eyes. 

“Ya. Are you... crying?” He was startled, but laughing at her at the same time.

She was chuckling and wiping her tears as she said, “I just… I just know how _real_ your fears were. And how certain you were with your beliefs. It must have been a difficult decision for you.”

Soo Hyun looked at her, smiling in amusement. It was then that he realized how Yea Ji has always tried to walk inside his shoes, and ever since, she has genuinely accepted and respected whatever she saw. Despite their differences, Soo Hyun never felt the need to change because _he_ was _enough_ for her. How did he end up meeting such an amazing woman? And how did it take him so long to realize that what he truly wanted? He wanted to assure her that he was willing to do whatever it takes to stay by her side.

“Actually, quite the opposite. It may have taken some time for me to realize, but I see you, and I know that this is something I want to keep forever.” He smiles. _Cheesy Soo Hyun was back._ He stood up, and offered his hand, asking her to stand up as well.

Entangling his fingers with hers, he turns to her and says, “Seo Yea Ji, I’d like to marry you someday. If you’ll have me.”

He is in tears as he gazes into her eyes. “You do your thing, and I’ll do mine... and when the time is right, I’ll ask you properly.”

Her eyes turned into crescent moons, glistening against the sun as she gave him the sweetest smile. Soo Hyun knew that Yea Ji had a lot of plans for herself after IOTNBO. This was just the start for her… And he respected that.

“Wow. I can’t believe I’m crying this early in the morning.” She says, chuckling as she wipes her tears again.

The sun was shining in front of them. The view was great. They felt like they were on top of the world.

All of this -- climbing mountains, sharing the greatest views, and being in each other’s arms… She too, wanted this forever.

She slowly nods as she says, “Someday… I look forward to that.” She smiles, wrapping her arms around his body.

Soo Hyun kisses her forehead. It was a sweet and emotional moment -- just them in their own little world, as always.

After a while, Yea Ji looks up at Soo Hyun.

“Soo Hyun-ah.” She whispers.

“Hmm?” He responds, seeing her bright eyes staring at him.

She smiles as she says, “This is, most definitely, my favorite Christmas too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) There are 3 links to pictures in the first part of the chapter, and the implications/meanings of the photos from KSH's POV are related to the events in this story. Also, the second picture is supposedly the sunset that KSH took in Chap 2 (but chapter 3 here) - Of Bridges and Sunsets.
> 
> -  
> For those who are still here, thank you for staying :)


	11. Next Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Yea Ji and Soo Hyun having different filming schedules, meeting each other was rare during this time. They had to be contented with supporting each other from afar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Ooh, who said it's true  
>  That the growing only happens on your own?  
> They don't know me and you_

**2021 - Early 2022**

Time went by so fast. With Yea Ji confirming to Island, and Soo Hyun confirming to That Night, they now had different schedules in 2021 and were busy with filming. They barely saw each other – but updated each other whenever they had the chance. Yea Ji often filmed in Jeju Island, while Soo Hyun mostly filmed in Seoul. They seldom met each other during this time, so they had to be contented with supporting each other from afar.

This was a new experience for them -- not being able to meet as much as they'd like for this long. On the rare opportunities that they had the chance to meet, their dates mostly consisted of catching up over a can of beer, either in Soo Hyun’s pad, or Yea Ji’s apartment.

As they would use this time to tell stories about their experiences in filming, almost always, they'd find one of them unexpectedly dozing off amidst their conversation...

And thanks to Yea Ji’s weird body clock, most often, it would be Soo Hyun.

The first time it had happened, Yea Ji was walking back from the kitchen carrying two more cans of beer, and was welcomed by an unusual sound that, she soon realized, came from Soo Hyun's mouth. It was a snoring Soo Hyun, tired from days of consecutive shooting.

She chuckled as she looked at his face.

“You did well today.” She whispered, carefully caressing his cheek.

Slowly waking him up so he could transfer on the bed, he apologized for ruining their date.

And it had been the first of many apologies.

These were the days that they would both choose to battle their sleepiness just so they could spend more time together. With the schedule they had, who knew when they would be able to see each other like this again? While they missed each other terribly, their bodies, undeniably, needed rest. And in the next months, Soo Hyun experienced a sleeping Yea Ji in the middle of their conversation too. It had become a cycle for them.

While their lack of quality time sometimes resulted to conflicts at first, it was always met with understanding. Later on, they had settled with just meeting to sleep next to each other, without any guilt. It came to a point that they each had pairs of pajamas in each other's apartment for their dates turned sleepovers.

Awake or not, just being by each other’s side, they found, was enough. _For now._

And everything was worth it.

Both dramas were a success, and they were receiving more offers left and right. Aside from being contacted by numerous brands, they were faced with many different and unexpected opportunities. Soo Hyun was even offered a role for an international action film, and one plot twist in Yea Ji’s career was being invited to be a runaway model for a fashion event in Paris.

They were growing individually, together.

As the year 2021 was slowly coming to an end, with both That Night and Island done, they had made a big decision for their relationship –- they decided to announce it to the public. It was something that they wanted to do themselves. They felt like it was already time.

While it was mostly received with warm acceptance from the fans, there were still people who criticized their relationship. Despite that, they were in a place where nothing could shake them anymore. And now that the secret was out, they were free support each other as much as they wanted -- Soo Hyun attended Yea Ji’s fashion event in Paris, while a few months later Yea Ji was spotted in the airport with Soo Hyun. Fans assumed that Yea Ji was accompanying him for his script reading in the U.S. While it meant needing more security for the both of them, it was nice not having to hide anymore.

Slowly… they did not have to be apart anymore. Slowly… they were able to grow individually, but now, alongside each other.

Come award season, Soo Hyun maintained his title as Daesang King, winning two grand awards for That Night – one from SBS Awards, and one from Baeksang Awards 2022. Baeksang, in particular, was a special event for them both as Yea Ji had also won Best Actress for Island. Indeed, they were both reaping the fruits of their labor and living their best lives. 

Going through all of these milestones together, they could not help but think of how far they both have come since the time that they met. Truly, there was nothing more they could ask for.

* * *

**July 2022**

It was a shooting day for one of Yea Ji’s commercial films. She had been offered to represent one of her favorite coffee brands, which she accepted without hesitation. She was told that the filming location was set in Paju. While it was unusual to have a noon-time filming in such a far shooting location just for a CF, she had already committed to it, hence just going with the flow and showing up at the agency as scheduled.

After almost 2 hours of travelling, they parked in one corner, and her assistant told her that they had to walk for a bit. It was only in that moment that she was informed about stopping by a coffee shop, as one of the scenes of the CF would be filmed there.

To her surprise, it was Café Jeong. She couldn’t help but smile. What are the odds? She was excited to tell Soo Hyun all about it later on.

When they entered, there was no one there except the owner who was standing behind the counter, who happily greeted them.

Yea Ji immediately recognized her. She was the same middle-aged woman whom she had given her book to years ago.

Yea Ji’s assistant informed her that they were quite early and had to wait a while for the crew to arrive. While it was weird for the production team to be late, Yea Ji was all smiles as she looked around the café -- the nostalgia was sinking in.

 _This was the place that connected me and Soo Hyun, even before we became labelmates._ She felt many different emotions at once.

She was sure she would not be remembered by the owner, so she introduced herself as the person who donated a children’s book 4 years ago. It took the owner a few seconds before responding, “Yes. Of course… I remember. You were so beautiful, and I was shocked to find out later on that you were an actress. I apologize for not recognizing you that time.”

“Oh, it’s no problem. Please don’t apologize. I actually liked not being recognized. Your café has a special place in my heart because of it.” She said shyly.

The owner could not help but smile. “Would you like to see your book?”

Before she was led to the book, the staff told Yea Ji that she could just wait inside the café as they prepared her outfits and other materials.

Being led to the group of shelves in the corner, it was just as she remembered it. The owner looked around and finally found it: _The Missing Piece Meets the Big O by Shel Silverstein._ She gave it to Yea Ji and showed her towards a table where she could read it comfortably.

“The rest room’s there, just beside the function room.” The owner said, pointing to the doors at the side. Yea Ji thanked her, amazed that the owner remembered the exact book she had given. She was very excited to open the book.

At first glance, she was happy to see that the book became thicker than it actually was. This meant one thing – letters! She was excited to scan through the book and read what others wrote. True enough, there were inserted pieces paper between pages, underlined and encircled words and phrases, comments on the side... Different kinds of stories inside the storybook she had given -- most about people who were going through something in the past years. Her heart warmed at the thought that this book helped others as much as it helped her.

She was overwhelmed reading the different comments and entries that she almost forgot what she was originally planning to check.

It was when she reached the last page and found the letter that she wrote years ago when she remembered. She started reading it.

_They say that coming home to yourself is the best feeling in the world. I feel like I haven’t been home in a while. I guess I have yet to find out how that feels like once again._

_To you who, like me, feels like a piece to a whole, here's to getting there someday._

_I don't know when that happens, but isn't it nice to know that nothing was ever missing in the first place?_

_For now, let's enjoy being a lost piece in this beautiful place, in this beautiful life. That just means we're a step closer to being whole, doesn't it?_

_Let’s keep lifting ourselves up until we’re rolling happily, arasseo? Fighting xx_

She smiled while reading it. It seemed so long ago that she felt this way… So much has changed in the past years that it’s like she was reading a different person’s letter. And true enough, there was something written just below her letter, having the same date as the day she wrote it.

It was Soo Hyun’s. She could not help but feel butterflies in her stomach as she read it. It was really true. He was really here the same day she was.

_To you who feels like a missing piece to a whole,_

_Apparently it’s only been 30mins. since you left this book. How crazy is that?_

_Please know that through this book, you have been my big O._

_I hope that by the time you read this, you are rolling happily wherever you are._

_Perhaps if our paths cross someday, we can roll alongside each other, not as 2 pieces, but as two wholes._

_I look forward to having the chance to thank you for my free meal today, and for introducing this book to me._

_KSH_

Her heart was beating fast, thrilled to actually see the letters they wrote in person. Truly, the universe works in mysterious ways.

And to her surprise, there was something written right below it. It had today’s date, and had similar handwriting as Soo Hyun’s. _But it couldn’t be him_ , she thought. Perhaps, somehow, someone wrote another note today as well?

_To my better whole and my love,_

_My life has been more colorful since the day we crossed paths._

_I have loved rolling beside you… and plan on doing it for the rest of my life._

But then… she could feel her heart race as she read the last line.

_Yea Ji-ah, would you go to the function room so I could ask you in person?_

She couldn’t believe her eyes. _Was this true? Was he here? Is this really him? Is this really for me?_

She only had one way to find out.

 _The restroom is right beside the function room_ , she remembered the owner saying. _So that’s why she said it?_

Looking around, it was fishy that absolutely no one was inside the café – even the owner wasn’t behind the counter anymore.

She stood up and started walking, swallowing the lump in her throat as her heart beat faster with every step she took towards the function room.

As she was near the door, she suddenly heard the faint sound of music starting to play in the café. It was a familiar song.

And then she realized... it was _their_ song: Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Iron and Wine.

She took a deep breath before opening the door.

And she was frozen in place at what she saw.

The room was dimly lit, but beautifully decorated with lights on the walls, balloons floating against the ceiling, bouquets of different colored flowers surrounding the room, and a pathway of candles and petals leading to the man she did not expect to see today.

It was Soo Hyun, standing in the middle of the room with a nervous smile.

“Hi.” He said.

She covered her mouth with her hands in surprise, tears starting to pool in her eyes as she closed the door.

“Did you read the book?”

Eyes still wide from shock, Yea Ji just nods in response, not moving forward.

“Come here.” He says with a nervous grin.

“I’m scared.” She says, laughing.

“Why?” He asks, slowly walking towards her.

“I might cry.” She responds, giving a shy smile.

He was teary-eyed but smiling at her as he held her hand. “It’s okay. I’ll be crying with you.”

He leads her to the middle of the room, takes a deep breath and rubs her hands with his thumbs, trying to hold back his tears with a smile.

“I’ve been thinking long and hard about how to do this…”

At this point, Yea Ji was sobbing heavily.

“And I realized… This is where our story started. I figured it’s only right that we start our next chapter here too.” He says, laughing nervously.

“Yea Ji-ah. I love you. So much. It’s ridiculous really.”

He pauses, as tears finally fall from his eyes.

“You are my best friend.” He manages to say as his voice cracks. “I want to hold your hand… like this… and walk alongside you for as long as I can…"

"Yea Ji-ah, I want to support you, take care of you… and come home to you everyday...”

Yea Ji’s face was now wet with tears as he started to kneel down on one knee, taking out the ring.

“Seo Yea Ji, will you give me the honor of being your husband?”

She cups his cheeks, as she slowly nods and whispers “Yes.”

She guides him up and puts her arms around his neck. They both could not control the tears falling from their eyes. He put his forehead against hers as they let the tears flow naturally, sharing smiles and laughter in between. 

Soo Hyun smiles as he says, “Yea Ji-ah."

"Hmm?" Yea Ji's attentive eyes find his.

"You have to wear the ring first." He whispers, laughing.

“Oh.” Yea Ji chuckles as Soo Hyun gently places the ring on her finger.

She adoringly looks at her ring. Eyes filled with happy tears, she gives him a kiss, which Soo Hyun happily welcomes.

"I love you." She says, hugging him tight.

She couldn’t believe it… She was engaged to her best partner.

"I love you." Soo Hyun repeats, caressing her head. 

As the song kept playing, Yea Ji continued sobbing against his chest. Soo Hyun was burying his face in her hair... It was an emotional moment, and they could not help but spend the next few minutes crying in each other’s arms.

Once it seemed that they both had calmed down, Soo Hyun pulls away and stares at her. Eyes are full of love and gratitude. He smiles as he wipes the tears on her face and asks,

“Are you okay now? I have one more surprise.” He grabs her hand and leads her towards the door.

“A surprise aside from proposing?” Yea Ji thinks aloud as she follows him.

Opening the door, Yea Ji sees her family, and Soo Hyun’s, carrying balloons that spelled “CONGRATULATIONS.”

Her parents were there, along with their dogs Manny and Ssulti, and her sister with her husband and children. Soo Hyun’s mom and aunt were also there. And standing behind their family was Mr. Ryu, Yea Ji’s assistant, and some of the staff that they both were close with. All were smiling from ear-to-ear as they greeted the newly engaged couple.

It was one of the best days with the people who mattered – just how they wanted it.

She runs towards her parents immediately. She hasn’t seen them in a while.

“You’re here? How?” Yea Ji asks in surprise.

“He’s been planning this for months, you know. We’ve been seeing him more than you." Her mother happily explains. “Congratulations dear.” She says, squeezing her daughter in a tight embrace.

After all the greetings, tears, hugs and picture taking… Yea Ji suddenly realizes something.

“Wait, so I’m not filming a coffee CF?” She asks, genuinely concerned.

Everyone laughed. Somehow until now, she didn’t know everyone wanted to steer her away from her coffee, not get her closer to it.

Nevertheless, it was the perfect way to plan the proposal.

After their respective dramas ended, and after all the events related to it, Soo Hyun knew it was the right time to start a new chapter with Yea Ji. They were both ready.

He had started planning this day since the first months of 2022. He contacted the owner of Café Jeong in advance, to tell him his plans of booking the whole place and asked the available dates for doing so. Thankfully, the owner was also very eager to cooperate as she was proud at the fact that her café was part of their story. He asked Mr. Ryu about Yea Ji's schedule, and his own, and the possible day he could arrange the proposal. He reached out to Yea Ji's family, and also to his mom and aunt, to ask when they were free... until he settled with a perfect date. This left him with decorations -- lights, candles, flowers, balloons... He was surprised at the amount of work he needed to do in pulling this off. Thankfully he could ask help from their beloved staff in knowing where to source out and reserve everything. And as for the ring... he knew that how it looked like would not matter to Yea Ji. But of course he wanted it to be special, so he also sought advice from Yea Ji's sister.

With all these planned, the only thing missing was how they could keep it a secret from Yea Ji, which is when the coffee CF went in the picture. As brands usually offered their partnership invitations months before their target filming date, this required Soo Hyun to team up with Mr. Ryu in casually informing Yea Ji about the offer months prior, and even made some paper work so she would think it was real. They were happy when she immediately agreed to it. Truly, Soo Hyun knew her well.

And thankfully, everything fell in place.

Soo Hyun drove to Paju a week before the special day to personally speak with the owner and plan where everything could be setup. And on the day of the proposal, he went to Paju in the morning, along with Mr. Ryu and some staff, to prepare everything. Also needing a woman's touch, Yea Ji's sister promised to arrive early too, to help in decorating the function room. Thankfully, all the family members arrived on time -- earlier than Yea Ji.

Once Yea Ji's assistant informed them that they were parking the van, they all proceeded to the garden area of the café to hide. During this time, it was the owner who was the most nervous-- she was assigned to lead Yea Ji to her book, point her towards the function room, and play the music once she was walking towards function room. But undeniably, she was excited to be part of it as well. And when Yea Ji entered the function room, they all sneaked back inside the café to prepare the congratulatory balloons. There were hidden cameras inside the function room, so they were also able to watch the proposal on the laptops that the staff had prepared. 

Truly, it was a team effort.

And while planning process was quite stressful, Soo Hyun knew he would do it all over again.

Doing the proposal in Café Jeong was important to him as it was where the universe allowed them to be, unknowingly, in each other's lives -- it was the start of their destiny. And life hasn't been the same ever since. In a good way.

For him, asking Yea Ji to marry him in this café was a symbol of his commitment -- that whatever happens, he will always find his way to her, like how she found her way to him 4 years ago.

And now that she said yes, they had the rest of their lives for their next chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally planning to include the epilogue here... But I think this deserves its own chapter. Posting the epilogue tomorrow :)


	12. Epilogue - Best Partner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 5 years later...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Ain't nothing better  
>  We beat the odds together  
> I'm glad we didn't listen  
> Look at what we would be missing_

**2027**

“Ladies and gentlemen, let us welcome the director, Kim Soo Hyun. A round of applause please.” Hongki announces.

Soo Hyun, who was seated in the front row of the cinema, takes a deep breath before standing up. His face can now be seen in the projective screens at the sides. He was smiling from ear to ear. He goes up the platform and hugs Hongki before walking towards the mic stand.

Out of all the events he had attended, this was by-far his most nervous state. In contrast to being an actor, he realized that being a director was a heavier task in the sense that the whole movie was his responsibility – not just one character. Yet it was a challenge that he enjoyed, and hopefully, succeeded in. He dreaded and looked forward to what people would have to say about his first film as a director. Still, he was overwhelmed by the fact that this was something he had only imagined doing in the past, and now, he had done it. Yet another dream accomplished for Kim Soo Hyun.

The cinema was a full house, and everyone was cheering him on. It was surreal. He smiled as he waited for the noise to die down.  
  
“Kamsahamnida. I must say being in front of a crowd still makes me nervous. But let me start by thanking everyone for being here.

I've co-directed 2 films, and this is my first time directing alone. I’d like to thank my mentors, who were so kind in guiding me along the way. Of course, I'd like to thank the best production team, headed by Lee Ro Bae, for believing in my vision. And to the actors, thank you so much for taking on the roles so beautifully. The characters in this movie are close to my heart, thank you so much for bringing them to life.  
  
A lot people expected me to direct another genre, but this story stood out to me because of its simplicity. It is described as a romantic drama film, but to me, it goes beyond that. When I read the script book, I was in awe of how the characters walked me through the simplest conversations, yet I did not want to miss a word. They met unexpectedly, and found an instant companion in each other. Through their conversations, they created their own world, and as a reader, I was trapped with them. The movie shows the power of a raw, real, and honest connection between two people. Truly, I fell in love with how it was as simple as it was beautiful. Hopefully, my team and I were able to capture it in the right light.  
  
This story is so special to me. So of course I would like to thank the brilliant person who wrote this.  
  
When we were able to work with each other years ago, we found out how complementary we were, so I did not hesitate to partner with her again in this film.

In fact, our ideas and personalities were so compatible, that… as you all know… I married her. Truly, she is my best partner -- on and off screen, and now, behind the camera too.

I'd like to call her up here. Yeobo, please come up.”

Yea Ji was teary-eyed as she stood up. This was a victory for both of them.

Hongki guided her up the stairs and Soo Hyun met her with a hug. To his surprise, tears were falling down his eyes. He laughed as he pulled away, and everyone cheered as Yea Ji wiped the tears on his cheeks with her thumb.  
  
“Everyone, please give a round of applause for the writer of _Jeong_ , the person I'm proud to call my wife, Seo Yea Ji.” He holds Yea Ji’s hand.

“Yea ji-ah, kumawo. Thank you for trusting me with your story. I am very proud to share this milestone with you. Congratulations to us.”

Yea Ji smiles at him and teasingly gives a bow, which Soo Hyun immediately mirrors.

Everyone was laughing.  
  
“Maybe you'd like to give us a short message as well, Mrs. Kim?” Hongki asks.

Yea Ji’s eyes widen, and she shakes her head. But Soo Hyun squeezes her hand and whispers, “Ya, this is a first for both of us.”

Knowing he would not take no for an answer, she nervously walks towards the mic.  
  
"Annyeonghaseyo. Ottoke? I was not prepared.” She gives an awkward laugh. “But I guess I’ll start by sharing that I initially wanted to make a story with another genre, but for some reason, this storyline has been in my head for years, and the characters and their conversations came so naturally to me.

I guess because it was partly inspired by a certain someone.” She says, glancing at Soo Hyun with a smile.  
  
“Years ago, I was at a low point in my life. I went to certain province to spend some time alone. During that time, Soo Hyun was in the military, but apparently, he was on a 2-day break on the same time I was on vacation. He, too, was experiencing struggles with himself during that time and had opted to spend the holidays by himself, in that same area. Years later, we found out that we visited the same café on the same day, just minutes apart...

It amazed me because when Soo Hyun and I became friends, his presence, to me, was so comforting that I could talk to him about anything despite not knowing each other that well. And then I thought... _What if we had met each other that day? What would we have talked about? Where would we have gone? What could have happened?_

And that's how the story started:

Two strangers bumping into each other at the most random place and time, and unexpectedly finding comfort in each other despite having seemingly different perspectives. Just going where their feet take them, they get lost in each other's company in the limited time they spend with each other.

Meeting someone who is like a breath of fresh air -- that is _Jeong._  
  
I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it. Thank you to the production team, staff, actors and actresses, and of course, to you, Kim Soo Hyun Sunbaenim. Actor, _slash_ director, _slash_ husband. He is quite particular with his standards, so to be honest, I did not expect this would happen. I'm very lucky to have my first story be directed by my best partner. Kumawo."

As Yea Ji bows and backs away from the mic, Hongki says “ Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give a hand once again for our director and scriptwriter duo, Mr. and Mrs. Kim.”

Soo Hyun holds her hand as they see a standing ovation. As they walk down, the poster is flashed on the screen. Hongki reads the summary of the film.

_Jeong (Film)_

  
_A soldier on holiday roams around Paju and settles in a little café, where he encounters a woman on vacation. On his last day before going back to his military service, he decides to spend his remaining hours with her._   
  
_Directed by: Soo Hyun Kim_   
_Written by: Seo Yea Ji -Kim_

_Cast: Jang Dong Yoon and Go Yoon Jung_

-

  
Heading home after the big event, Yea Ji and Soo Hyun pass by her sister’s house.

“Unnie! Thank you for watching over Haneul. Where is he?” Yea Ji says as she sees her sister.  
  
“He's asleep. But we watched the VIP livestream of the event. He was so happy to see you both on the screen. Congratulations to you both.” Her sister says hugging them both.  
  
“Noona, kumawo.” Soo Hyun says, greeting his sister-in-law.

-

  
As they arrived home, Soo Hyun carried Haneul to his bed. Kissing him on the forehead, he went back to the living room, seeing Yea Ji staring at their pictures.  
  
They had a collection of frames on one side of their living room wall, consisting of their shared milestones and special moments -- from their Petitizel CF, to presenting at Baeksang 2020, some photos from IOTNBO, to their first award together at AAA, Soo Hyun’s proposal at Café Jeong, first magazine shoot together, Baeksang 2022, favorite vacation abroad (Spain), and their wedding photos.

She stopped at the last photo, and smiled.

It was a candid picture of Yea Ji and Soo Hyun saying their vows at their wedding.

  
  
 **_*flashback*_ **

**_January 2023_ **

**_Yea Ji_** : I love you. All of you. So much.

I remember constantly praying for guidance towards the right path through the years, because I often did not know what that was. My life has been full of surprises, and I was so scared and uncertain of many things, but _you_ were the confirmation that I am where I am meant to be.

You are my answered prayer.

I was so ready to walk through life alone, but then you came along. You have been my sunset – my companion and my guarantee that everything will be okay. Thank you for being the constant reminder that I am not, and will never be, alone. Thank you for always making heavy days lighter.

My love, thank you for your warmth.

It took us 9 years to get to this moment. We may have taken our time, but our story will always be my favorite. And I am excited to start this new chapter with you.

Now I am not afraid of life's surprises. All that's yet to come, I know I can bear, because I know I have you holding my hand and walking by my side, and you know you can expect the same from me.

I promise to honor you as my husband... to love you for who you are and who you are yet to become. To laugh at your jokes even when they're not funny, to listen to your stories and thoughts no matter how weird, to always learn to cross whatever bridges that come our way.

I cannot promise to be the perfect wife, but I promise, to dance, cry, dream, and grow with you, all the days of our lives. Because together, we _can_.

As she ends her vows, they are both in tears. Soo Hyun takes a deep breath before starting to speak.

 ** _Soo Hyun_** : Looking back, I can't help but be thankful of all the moments that led me to you. When I first met you, you already stood out in my eyes. I realized, maybe it was a sign that my future was in front of me. But young as I was, I just let you pass. That's why when we crossed paths again, I made sure to never let you go. And life has been amazing ever since.

I don't think you know just how beautiful you are to me. I must have done something right in my life to have you by my side. Yea Ji-ah, thank you for loving me like you do. All the cold parts of life, I came to love, because of your warmth. As your husband, I will work hard to be the same to you.

To be honest, I have always feared having a family of my own. It was something that seemed so complicated and difficult to me. But my love, because it’s _you,_ it was the easiest decision I’ve ever had to make. You are my better whole, my best friend, and my best partner. And now, I can't wait to call you my _wife._

I promise to love you, cherish you, respect you, protect you, comfort you, and care for you, for as long as I shall live.

I promise to make your dreams my own, to keep making you laugh until your eyes disappear, and to be your warm embrace in good days and bad.

I promise that wherever life takes us, I will always find my way back to you, because you are my home. And I can't wait to come home to you for the rest of my life.

We have kept our relationship as private as possible. And while I like keeping you to myself, I have also been waiting for the perfect chance to do this...

Soo Hyun finished his vows by shouting "Saranghae, Seo Yea Ji! Jinjja nomu nomu saranghae!"

Everyone laughed and cried while applauding. Leave it to Soo Hyun to make it the most memorable wedding. The introvert in him could not be found at that moment. When it came to expressing his love for his woman, now wife, it was such an effort for him to keep it lowkey all these years, and he decided that this was the best time to shout it to the world. Literally.

**_*end of flashback*_ **

**_  
_**  
Yea Ji shakes her head, chuckling as she remembers that moment. She smiles realizing that they could add another picture to their collection: Their first film as director and scriptwriter.

Her heart flutters at the thought. She still couldn't believe that it had happened -- who would have thought that they would be able to create something together outside of acting?   
  
She feels someone hug her from behind. "What are you looking at? Hmm?" Her husband playfully asks.

"We should add a picture from the premiere earlier." She replies.

"We should. Congratulations Mrs. Kim." Soo Hyun whispers in her ear.

"Congratulations Mr. Kim.” She says, smiling at him, placing her hand on his arm.

"My wife. And now, my scriptwriter. Jinjja nomu nomu saranghae." He kisses her cheek.

"You know I was planning to say that at the premiere earlier." He adds.

"Ya. That was a professional event. During our wedding was enough." She says, breaking away from his hold.

"Jinjja? Is that your choice to make hmm? I just love you so much I keep wanting to shout it to the world." Soo Hyun happily teases.

He discovered later in their relationship that Yea Ji would get flustered by public confessions like this, and he loved it so much as he rarely got to see that side of her -- it was always the other way around. So he wanted to do it every chance he got.

"Then do it when all eyes aren't on us, arasseo? You’re forgetting everything you do makes the headlines."

“Arasseo arasseo.” He replies, suddenly disappearing from her side.

Turning around to see what he was up to, she sees Soo Hyun rushing towards their living room window.

He opens it and shouts “SARANGHAE, SEO YEA JI!"

"Ya! you're gonna wake the--"

True enough, they hear Haneul's cry.

"Ya I didn't mean now!" After all these years, Yea Ji still couldn’t believe the random ideas that would pop in her husband’s head. He was still, really, one of a kind.

"Oops. Mianhe mianhe. I'll get him." Soo Hyun says apologetically as he goes inside the baby’s room and walks out carrying a crying Haneul.

"Look who's awake. Hi, Eomma. Appa is sorry."

Yea Ji walks towards them and takes Haneul from him. "Hello my love, did Appa wake you? He's so annoying isn’t he? We missed you today."

  
-  
  
To the fans' surprise, they had received an unexpected notification later that day:  
  
 _soohyun_k216 posted on instagram_  
  
It had been almost a year since Soo Hyun's last update on the app. Or any social media platform for that matter. Ever since he got married, and started directing, he rarely posted on his personal accounts and relied on GM's account instead.  
  
Opening his post, it said:

> Hello everyone! Posting here to let everyone know about my first film as a director with my wife, Seo Yea Ji, as the writer: _Jeong_.
> 
> _Jeong_ gives us a glimpse of the magic found in the simplest moments -- the beautiful experience of finding the right person, at the right place and time.
> 
> Just sharing a picture of my very own _Jeong_ ending.  
>   
>  _Jeong_ is now showing in cinemas worldwide.  
> I hope you get the chance to watch and enjoy the movie!  
>   
> Love from, The Kims  
>   
> P.S. Yes this is really Soo Hyun. My wife won't let me post this photo if I don't post a "proper" caption. I guess this is what it means to be married. Not that I am complaining. I have the best wife who is watching me as I type this 😊 Take care everyone!

_-_

_I’m so glad we made it  
Look how far we've come my baby_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note:  
> (1) The plot/concept of the movie Jeong was inspired from the film Before Sunrise (1995)  
> (2) [You may already know this but] Haneul means 'sky' 
> 
> /End of Reel to Real!
> 
> I posted this story to compile these scenarios I had in my head because being this invested in two people truly is a first for me. Even the songs I listen to remind me of them, hence the songs I put in every chapter. Their chemistry is that powerful -- the type that you feel is _real._
> 
> This fic was far from perfect, but I was surprised at the number of chapters I ended up writing. Thank you for those who stuck around til the end! I appreciate your comments so much 🤗 I love this little community we have, there are so many talented writers! 
> 
> Still manifesting the "real" part, but will forever be supporters of them both as individuals. **Ship responsibly** everyone!  
> -  
> Hyunji playlist:
> 
> 1\. Falling in love in a coffee shop – Landon Pigg  
> 2\. I Like You – Ben Rector  
> 3\. Kiss Me – Ed Sheeran  
> 4\. I Choose You – Sara Bareilles  
> 5\. Crazy For You – Adele  
> 6\. Blessed – Daniel Caesar  
> 7\. Invisible String – Taylor Swift  
> 8\. Flightless Bird, American Mouth – Iron & Wine  
> 9\. Your Body is a Wonderland – John Mayer  
> 10\. Only Us – Laura Dreyfuss, Ben Platt  
> 11\. Make It With You - Bread  
> 12\. Grow As We go – Ben Platt  
> 13\. You’re Still The One – Shania Twain


End file.
